Abstract

Technorealism

The article discusses technorealism, which is a more nuanced way to think about changes occurring due to the rise of the microchip, the digital bit and interactive networks. Among other things, it seeks to puncture some of prevailing myths of the information age. Technology is making life more convenient and enjoyable. But it is also affecting work, family and the economy in unpredictable ways, introducing new forms of tension and distraction and posing new threats to the cohesion of physical communities. Despite the complicated and often contradictory implications of technology, the conventional wisdom is woefully simplistic. The author comments that technorealism demands that one thinks critically about the role that tools and interfaces play in human evolution and everyday life. INSET: Principles of technorealism.