Exploring the philosophical terrain of the digital divide

摘要

My aim in this brief paper is to present an outline of possible philosophical discussions and investigations on the digital divide. Given that philosophy, as is the case with Hegel's Owl of Minerva, usually comes after the fact, there is a need for taking a philosophical account of the digital divide that explores conceptual and normative ramifications of the phenomenon. I show that all the major areas of philosophy can make a contribution on the digital divide, including the metatheoretical consideration of whether the existing philosophical vocabularies are adequate in fully comprehending the situation or whether a new set is required. The paper concludes with a series of questions and problems designed to stimulate further thoughts and research.