Re:Does computing make the world better?
by tomrod on Sunday June 21, 2020 @06:53PM
(#23595995)
Along several dimensions, computing makes the "world better" under several philosophical approaches.
Utilitarian/capitalist: we are more efficient with resources.
Artistic: new media channels and techniques allow for increased expression
Experiential: one of the claims about the benefits of books, pre-Internet, is that it allowed you to experience places you'd never seen before. Computers, built on top of computing, allow us to have even deeper and richer self-driven experiences. How cool was it when Google Maps launched! I could explore parts of the world I pined for, wanted to visit, and eventually integrated its utility into my life much deeper -- no more need to purchase maps, etc. etc.
So from a practical perspective, I think computing has made life unambiguously "better" in several ways.
Is the "world" better? Probably not. But this isn't due to the tools themselves, but to the tool wielders. Power consolidation and maintenance is the realm of political science and political action. Computing has impacted this, some in positive ways and some in negative ways.
Utilitarian/capitalist: we are more efficient with resources.
Artistic: new media channels and techniques allow for increased expression
Experiential: one of the claims about the benefits of books, pre-Internet, is that it allowed you to experience places you'd never seen before. Computers, built on top of computing, allow us to have even deeper and richer self-driven experiences. How cool was it when Google Maps launched! I could explore parts of the world I pined for, wanted to visit, and eventually integrated its utility into my life much deeper -- no more need to purchase maps, etc. etc.
So from a practical perspective, I think computing has made life unambiguously "better" in several ways.
Is the "world" better? Probably not. But this isn't due to the tools themselves, but to the tool wielders. Power consolidation and maintenance is the realm of political science and political action. Computing has impacted this, some in positive ways and some in negative ways.