University Press of America
Pages: 198
Trim: 6 x 9
978-0-7618-4121-0 • Paperback • July 2008 • $54.99 • (£42.00)
Ronald S. Laura is Professor of Education at the University of Newcastle, Australia and a Perc Fellow of Harvard University. Timothy Marchant is a K-6 teacher in the Hunter Region. Susen R. Smith is Lecturer in Education at the University of New England, Australia.
Chapter 1 Foreword
Chapter 2 Preface
Chapter 3 Acknowledgements
Chapter 4 Introduction: High Tech Depersonalization: Has Technology Stolen Your Soul?
Chapter 5 1: Technological Connections: Are You Too Plugged In?
Chapter 6 2: Technological Texturing of the Modern World
Chapter 7 3: Technologization of Education
Chapter 8 4: Depersonalization and the Internet
Chapter 9 5: Incivility
Chapter 10 6: Exploring the Implications of Depersonalization for Mental Health
Chapter 11 7: Hidden Dangers: The Physical Impacts
Chapter 12 8: Educational and Social Ramifications of Computer-Based Temporality
Chapter 13 9: Reconceptualizing Knowledge as Connectivity, Expresses Empathetically
Chapter 14 10: Towards a Better Life: Survival of the Soul
Chapter 15 Bibliography
Chapter 16 Index
Laura, Marchant, and Smith have undertaken a huge task in successfully drawing together several large, often divergent areas of investigation into a cohesive whole. They provide a systematic discussion of the work of Rifkin and other on the undue reliance on technology contributing to technostress/anxiety, perceptual changes of the time, shorter attention spans , separation from the natural world, depersonalization and loss of social capital. The authors do a fine job of illustrating how computechnology is value-laden.
— Professor Roberta Hollander, Howard University, Washington
The authors provide philosophical reflections on the technologies of relationships and education and have presented a strong perspective and impressive arguments to support their position. They address an important topic, give clear philosophical rationales and their conclusions are well researched and well stated.
— University of Maryland
This powerful book serves to bring the discussion of computechnology a moral dimension, which has been sorely lacking. It is a book which certainly encourages both philosophical reflection and personal action. The final message engenders a sense of hopefulness urging us to re-engage with our natural world, with each other and with our inner human spirit. This book should be read by everyone interested in the changing face of our cultural identity, but it also has a special message for technophiles who generally read the philosophical literature on the topic with their eyes wide shut.
— Dr. Giovanni De Duonni, University of L'Aquila