Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE PHI2201

 
TITLE A Philosophical Analysis of the Internet

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Philosophy

 
DESCRIPTION The study-unit will explore the latest technological innovations and their social impacts from a philosophical perspective. It will delve into what the future holds in areas such as information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology. Issues such as privacy, security, cybercrime, intellectual property rights, the digital divide and social networks will also be analyzed from moral, societal and legal perspectives.

The Internet is transforming our lives in all respects - education, entertainment, politics, relationships, and even our own identity. A critical analysis of the Internet will empower students to use the Internet wisely and to their advantage as they learn how the new digital revolution is changing their lives in ways that an older generation would have considered unimaginable just a few years back.

Study-unit Aims:

To familiarize students with some of the implications of the Internet including issues of identity, virtual reality, the information commons, privacy, security and democracy.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Acquire knowledge about the architecture of the Internet and the emerging world of cyberspace.
- List the main philosophical issues concerning the Internet as it continues to transform society in ways hitherto unimaginable.
- Evaluate the moral, social and legal implications of technological responsibility and analyze the ethical issues raised by the use of information and communication technology.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to use the Internet and other communications technologies in ways that will transform the way they think, communicate and work. The Internet will empower them to become an integral part of the digital age in all its many facets.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

The Handbook of Internet Studies, edited by Mis Consalvo and Charles Ess, Blackwell Publishing, 2013.
The Internet: A Philosophical Enquiry, by Gordon Graham, Routledge, 1999.
The Future of Idea, by LawrenceLessig, Vintage Books, 2002.
An Introduction to Cybercultures, by David Bell, Routledge, 2006.
Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age, by Manuel Castells, Polity, 2012.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Seminar

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Presentation No 30%
Assignment Yes 70%

 
LECTURER/S Jean Buttigieg

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
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Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit