#digitalhumaities

Digital Humanism: introduction

Renaissance humanism, represented by figures such as Pico della Mirandola, left a lasting legacy that continues to influence modern culture and society. In this article, we will explore how Pico’s reflections on human dignity in ‘De hominis dignitate’ relate to the current challenges posed by the fourth industrial revolution and the growing importance of artificial intelligence in everyday life. Through an analysis of Pico’s text and an examination of contemporary issues related to technology and AI, we will discuss how Renaissance thought can help us understand and address current challenges.

De hominis dignitate

De hominis dignitate’ is a work written in 1486 by Pico della Mirandola, an Italian Renaissance humanist. The text is a meditation on human nature and the dignity of man. Pico argues that man is a unique and special being in the universe, as he has the ability to understand the world and shape it according to his own will. Furthermore, man is free to choose his own nature and destiny.

Privacy Online: A History

The age of social media has allowed us to connect with people all over the world, share our thoughts and experiences, and keep track of the lives of our friends and family in the face of online privacy. But sometimes we wonder if this connection is really meaningful and if we are missing out on something really important.

Let us consider a story circulating on the net. The scene takes place during a conversation between two friends. One of them tells the other that he wants to try to make friends outside of Facebook, applying the same principles. So, every day, he goes to the street and shares information with passers-by about what he ate, how he feels, what he did the night before and what he will do the next day. He also shares photos of his family and the dog he had. And he listens to other people’s conversations and then says “I like that!”

After a while the two meet again and the first topic discussed is the results of that decision. The protagonist responds to the question: ‘It’s working!…at the moment I already have 5 people following me: 2 policemen, 1 psychiatrist, 1 psychologist and a nurse.

Desire for a long life

The human desire for a long life is a common one. Many think that life is short and that the years we spend on earth are not enough to accomplish much. We often dream that time passes more slowly or that we have more of it. However, according to Seneca, life is not short at all. He famously said ‘life is long enough and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were well invested’.

The idea that life is short is a misperception. We often waste our time on meaningless activities, which makes us feel as if life is passing us by too quickly. This is the subject of Seneca’s treatise, ‘On the Shortness of Life’, in which he argues that it is not the amount of time we have that is the problem, but rather how we choose to spend it.

In this text, Seneca divides the treatise into short chapters, in which he explores the dangerous emotions and threats to our existence, warning us against actions that waste our days. The Stoic philosopher includes various vices and virtues in his discussion, as well as useful advice, exhortations and recommendations to help us make the most of our time.

Interestingly, Seneca wrote this treatise when he was still a relatively young man and several years before his death. Despite this, the text is still considered one of his most famous works, along with “On the Happy Life.”

It is worth noting that Seneca lived in a time when life expectancy was much lower than it is today, and the fact that this concept of the non-transience of life comes from a thinker who lived in this era is a matter of great reflection. He was a Roman orator, senator and quaestor during the 1st century B.C. He was only partly devoted to philosophy and was appreciated for his moral, oratorical and scientific texts.

Welcome to Digital Humanism and the Infosphere

Welcome to my reflection and awareness lounge at Infosphere time, where we can take time to meditate on our lives and how we can achieve greater harmony within ourselves and with the world around us.

We are in a very stressful and oppressive time, full as we know of fears and also of anger that is building up. It was there before the pandemic, but certainly after 3 years, with the limitations and constraints imposed because of the virus, and with the many deaths, there is a growing dissatisfaction with the way things are run and the world is run at various levels.

The shadow, i.e. our destructive part, becomes more and more charged when we become rigid in our mask and it becomes completely illusory to think of freeing ourselves from it.

However, I would like us to experience this difficult period as a preparation for the future, because I am convinced that we will have to face new challenges and that in these difficulties we are maturing within ourselves new perspectives, new dynamics and new opportunities for creativity on a spiritual, cultural and political level.

I urge everyone not to dissipate this difficult time by living it only as a defeat or utter helplessness, because there is also so much more. There is the sense of powerlessness, there is depression, there is pain, but there is also hope, the desire to do and to change things. We are complex and divine human beings….. we must not forget that.

Infosphere: introduction

We are in the car and do not know how to get to our destination, so we use the navigator to get our bearings. This example shows how the distinction between online and offline is now outdated and has been replaced by constant connection and interaction with digital information systems.

Philosopher Luciano Floridi coined the term infosphere to describe this new world we live in, paraphrasing the biosphere. The infosphere is characterised by four basic elements: the fusion and confusion of real and virtual, the coexistence of sentient beings and algorithms, the automation of technological processes without human intervention, and the globalisation of information.

The Philosophy of Information Ethics, of which Luciano Floridi is one of the foremost proponents, is a field of study that examines the ethical impact of information and communication technologies. According to Floridi, information ethics should be based on universal principles and take into account the consequences of human actions on society and the environment.

One of Floridi's most important contributions is his theory of information as a resource, according to which information is a valuable resource that must be responsibly and sustainably managed. Information ethics also deals with issues such as privacy, intellectual property, the right to information, and the social responsibility of information technologies.

Digital humanism is a concept that refers to the idea of combining digital technology with humanistic values such as respect and justice. However, there is concern that the growth of technology is leading to a separation between scientific and humanistic cultures. This may lead to an imbalance that benefits neither. Therefore, some argue that it is necessary to restore an authentic and dialogic relationship between the two cultures, leaving behind hegemonic and divisive views. This may require a suitably updated recovery of humanistic culture and its values such as critical thinking and the ability to take a comprehensive view of things.

The myth of Prometheus is one of the most famous and representative Greek myths of ancient culture. It represents the importance of scientific knowledge and culture for humanity, but also the danger of separating this knowledge from humanistic culture.

As the great Greek philosopher Aristotle said, ‘Man is a social animal, and life without friends is akin to life without food or air.’ Let us always remember that we are all part of the same community and that our well-being depends on the well-being of others.

I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year, full of love, joy and hope. May 2023 be a year of rebirth for each of us and for our entire society.

My website : https://umanesimodigitale.info