The book focuses on contemporary communication problems, considering the philosophical and historical context. The central problem of this work is the excessive use of communications by people in the modern world and the dynamics associated with this problem. Powers uses observations and statistics relevant to the modern world combined with perspectives on technology in different historical periods in various countries. Furthermore, Powers suggests the need to limit the use of means of communication through several practices. For instance, one way to limit technology’s negative impact is to reuse old technologies. In general, the book provides a view of contemporary problems in using technology combined with an overview of similar issues in a historical context.
In addition to pointing out the factors of the negative impact of technology, the work includes information about philosophical issues, including identity and people’s ability to communicate. In this aspect, it is significant that Powers mentions in the book several philosophers whose thought reflects the view of technology in different historical periods. The ideas of these philosophers are presented in Part 2 of the book and include the ideas of Plato, Seneca, Johannes Gutenberg, William Shakespeare, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Thoreau, and Marshall McLuhan. The work, therefore, utilizes the ideas of philosophers from various eras regarding the impact of modern technology, which provides a historical background to Powers’ book. Moreover, such information provides insights into the factors associated with the presence and development of historical issues that define the work’s relation to the historical concepts of change and continuity (Tanaka 62). Therefore, the book primarily addresses the philosophical aspects associated with the perception of new technologies.
The book directly addresses the concepts of change and continuity by illustrating the development of the problem at different historical stages and focusing on various perceptions of the problem. Powers uses references to history to show the reader the evolution of views on new technologies, which shows the importance of the concept of change in history. In this way, the concept of change reveals to the reader the process through which the contemporary issue emerged (Tanaka 116). In addition, a significant aspect of the work is to point out the problem’s criticality at the present development stage. It reveals a fundamental difference in the degree of relevance of the situation today compared to other periods. However, the book also illustrates elements of the concept of continuity. For instance, it can be observed in the description of the thoughts of the philosophers of antiquity concerning the negative impact of new technologies, exemplified by writing. In general, the book indicates the presence of significant technological changes and their implications while demonstrating that the problem of perception of new technologies is relevant to all historical eras since antiquity.
Powers informs the reader of new technology’s adverse effects in this book. The current communication state disproportionately affects people since many use gadgets and other technologies excessively. Furthermore, the book contains data about the risks of over-dependence on technology in several large countries, including the United States (Powers 32). Hence, Powers focuses the reader’s attention on the potential dangers in personal and global contexts. In this case, references to different historical eras and thinkers allow readers to analyze the problem from a diachronic perspective. Presenting data on negative attitudes toward new technologies in different periods will enable one to establish limits demonstrating that criticism of new inventions is the norm. Overall, the book provides readers with the author’s perspective and advice on modern technology while providing a historical context for a better understanding of the topic.
In the context of personal reaction, this book is an example of the appropriate application of historical references to contemporary issues. An essential aspect of the work is that it uses data on the views of various philosophers. A distinguished advantage of the book is the application of the concept of continuity that Powers realizes by examining a single problem from various historical and philosophical perspectives. In this way, the book provides an opportunity to analyze the problem objectively at different historical stages. A potential negative aspect is the author’s focus on the adverse effects of technology and the need to limit its use. Due to this, the reader may misinterpret the historical information given in the book. However, this shortcoming is minimized if the recorded information is regarded as a background for the book’s topic and the author’s ideas as personal recommendations. Overall, this book is well-organized as a history study material as it contains a considerable amount of information on a range of historical eras.
This book by William Powers reveals information on a contemporary issue while providing a historical perspective. A considerable part of the book is devoted to describing the problem of philosophers’ perception of new technologies in different historical eras from antiquity to the 20th century. In this case, the author refers to two historical concepts based on change and permanence in describing the contemporary issue. Thus, by providing historical data, Powers shows readers that the book’s theme is relevant at different stages of humankind’s development. At the same time, highlighting the problem’s significance in the modern world and giving information about the possible deterioration of the issue reveals the existence of a change in the topic. Overall, this book addresses the problem of the use and perception of new technologies in a comprehensive way, utilizing the philosophical perspectives of thinkers from various historical eras.
Works Cited
Stefan Tanaka, History without Chronology (Amherst, MA: Lever Press, 2019).
William Powers, Hamlet’s BlackBerry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age (New York: Harper 2010).