On The Internet

On the Internet is a discussion of the promises and dangers of the Internet. Drawing on a diverse array of thinkers from Plato to Kierkegaard, On the Internet brings philosophical analysis to such questions as whether the Internet can solve the problems of mass education and bring humanity to a new level of community. Dreyfus shows the source of the attraction of being a ubiquitous net surfer in Plato's disdain for the body, and how Kierkegaard's criticism of the press and public opinion for its lack of commitment anticipate the dangers of the risk-free interactions made possible by the anonymity of the Web. Drawing on recent studies of the isolation experienced by many Internet users, Dreyfus shows how the Internet deprives users of essential embodied human capacities such as trust and involvement in shared local concerns. With reference to examples from his own teaching experience, the author also shows that 'interactive' education leaves out the shared moods and risks that make possible the acquisition of expertise.