Philosophical Foundations for a Critical Evaluation of the Social Impact of ICT

Authors

David O'Donnell, The Intellectual Capital Research Institute of Ireland, 7 Clonee Road, Ballyagran, Limerick County, Ireland
Lars Bo Henriksen, Centre for Industrial Production, Aalborg University, Fibigerstraede 16, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark

Document Type

Research Article

Abstract

How do we critically evaluate the social impact of the information and communications technology (ICT) that, in the developed world at least, is central to both economy and society. Market-oriented, functionalist and instrumental views tend to dominate discourse on ICT and the purpose of this paper is to challenge such views by suggesting a critical neo-humanist alternative. Harvey's critical analysis of recent industrial society, Aristotle's concept of phronesis and Heidegger's tool analysis set the scene for the main argument of the paper based on Habermas’ theory of communicative action. Using an illustrative case vignette from the Irish community sector, the paper argues that this theory provides potentially valid philosophical and social theoretical guidelines for a critical interpretive evaluation of the social impact of ICT that focuses attention on normative (‘lifeworld’) as distinct from instrumental (‘system’) forms of rationality.

DOI

10.1080/02683960210145968

Recommended Citation

O'Donnell, David and Henriksen, Lars Bo (2002) "Philosophical Foundations for a Critical Evaluation of the Social Impact of ICT," Journal of Information Technology: Vol. 17: Iss. 2, Article 6.
DOI: 10.1080/02683960210145968
Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/jit/vol17/iss2/6