Thing 2

I would like to learn more about the changes to the internet that are allowing it to become more interactive. I think that this new exchange of information and the speed with which it occurs raise philosophical questions about the nature of "truth" and "fact." As a society, we depend less on traditional authorities than in the past for determining what is "true" or what is "fact." We move in narrow, self-selected communities of opinion and information, often without any internal or external critique. As we allow more interactivity, we democratize information, but do we contribute to a rise or decline in the value of that information? Do we believe Encyclopedia Britannica or Wikipedia is a more accurate source of knowledge? When is the exchange of information among peers (including students) a valuable tool? How do we critique the information we find on the internet? Is there any such thing as an authoritative voice in our culture? Does "truth" consist in some external standard of verification or does it arise out of a democratic process?