Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The Internet: A Philosophical Inquiry develops many of the themes Gordon Graham presented in his highly successful radio series, The Silicon Society. Exploring the tensions between the warnings of the Neo-Luddites and the bright optimism of the Technophiles, Graham offers the first concise and accessible exploration of the issues which arise as we enter further into the world of Cyberspace.
This original and fascinating study takes us to the heart of questions that none of us can afford to ignore: how does the Internet affect our concepts of identity, moral anarchy, censorship, community, democracy, virtual reality and imagination?
Free of jargon and full of stimulating ideas, this is essential reading for anyone wishing to think clearly and informatively about the complexities of our technological future.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Acknowledgments (p. x)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• 1 Neo-Luddites versus Technophiles (p. 6)
• The origins of Luddism (p. 6)
• Technophilia (p. 9)
• Critical realism about technology (p. 14)
• Surveying the issues (p. 16)
• 2 The radically new and the merely novel: how transformative is the Internet? (p. 21)
• The nature of the Internet (p. 22)
• The radically new and the merely novel (p. 24)
• Social transformation: using the Marxist model (p. 27)
• Television as a test case (p. 31)
• Will the Internet transform? (p. 37)
• 3 The Faustian bargain: assessing the value of technology (p. 39)
• Faust (p. 39)
• Technology as the servant of desire (p. 41)
• The constitution of the problematic (p. 45)
• Means and ends (p. 47)
• Cost-benefit analysis (p. 50)
• The useful and the valuable (p. 52)
• Moral freedom and political neutrality (p. 56)
• 4 The Internet as democracy (p. 62)
• Direct versus representative democracy (p. 62)
• The advantages of e-mail and the power of the web page (p. 66)
• The value of democracy (p. 71)
• Power to the people? (p. 75)
• The Internet and the deficiencies of democracy (p. 77)
• 5 The Internet as anarchy (p. 84)
• Positive and negative anarchy (p. 84)
• The internationalism and populism of the Internet (p. 86)
• Knowledge and 'information' (p. 89)
• Knowledge as power (p. 93)
• Freedom and reason (p. 95)
• Moral anarchy and the Internet (p. 99)
• 6 Policing the Internet (p. 103)
• Pornography and harm (p. 105)
• Licensing and labelling (p. 107)
• The morality of pornography (p. 115)
• Pornography and legality (p. 121)
• 7 New communities (p. 128)
• Individuals, communities and interest groups (p. 128)
• Liberalism versus communitarianism (p. 136)
• The potential for electronic 'communities' (p. 141)
• MUDS, MOOS and GeoCities (p. 146)
• 8 Virtual reality: the future of cyberspace (p. 151)
• The 'bodynet' and the 'smartroom' (p. 151)
• The 'virtual' and the 'real thing' (p. 154)
• 'Virtual' as a kind of reality (p. 158)
• 'Virtual' achievements (p. 160)
• The poverty of cyberspace (p. 164)
• Conclusion (p. 167)
• Bibliography (p. 170)
• Index (p. 174)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Can the ancient discipline of philosophy teach us anything about the Internet? Graham (Univ. of Aberdeen) thinks so. By questioning assumptions, making distinctions, and using thought experiments, Graham draws on social philosophy and the philosophy of technology to ask several questions: Is the Internet radically new or merely novel? Should we welcome it or fear it? Can we steer a course between neo-Luddism and technophilia? In eight concise chapters, Graham manages to touch briefly and cogently on the relationship of the Internet to democracy, moral anarchy, pornography, community, and virtual reality--all without lapsing into superficiality, banality, or cliche. Graham's conclusions and predictions tend toward the neo-Luddite: even if the Internet leads to more direct democracy, this may not be a good thing; the Internet will result in greater fragmentation rather than more community; policing the Internet will prove to be impossible. Still, he concedes that the Internet has the power to transform our existence in a significant way. Graham's sober inquiry raises the right kinds of questions and offers intriguing philosophical insights. General readers through faculty and professionals. M. Meola; The College of New Jersey