PL 339 - Philosophy of Information and Media

(3.00 cr.)

Today we are living through one of human history's great media shifts, on par with the invention of the written language and the printing press. A shift of this magnitude invites philosophical reflection: both historical and phenomenological reflections on the nature of reading, writing, and thinking as well as a general examination of the way media affects consciousness. In this course, students trace the history of media shifts and their impact by looking at thinkers as diverse as Plato and Marshall McLuhan. Special attention is given to reflection on the internet and social media, with readings from earliest theorists of the internet such as Vannevar Bush and Ted Nelson and contemporary critiques of the internet such as Nicholas Carr, author of "Is Google Making Us Stupid?"

Prerequisite: PL 201 .
Sessions Typically Offered: Varies
Years Typically Offered: Varies