Philosophy of Information module (PI41022)

This module explores a range of highly topical philosophical questions raised by the fast-paced development of information technologies and their impact on our lives in contemporary society.

We are now living in an ‘information age’ in which we are spending more and more time online and engaging in digital environments. Our economy, the workplace, entertainment, our sense of ourselves and our interactions with others are all increasingly being shaped by information technologies, including variously interlinked forms such as computers, artificial intelligence, the Internet, social media, and big data.

How should we understand these profound changes and how can we think about them in a critically informed way? Should we fear and resist these new technologies, or embrace them as potentially liberating and transformative? Such questions are investigated by the exciting new area known as Philosophy of Information.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• reflect on how information technologies are changing many aspects of our lives, our understanding of the world, and of ourselves
• interpret and critically engaged with a variety of key texts in the philosophy of information
• critically examine the potential role of the concept of information in the context of current philosophical debates
• gain a broad understanding of the key debates in philosophy of information

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• closely read and interpret sophisticated philosophical texts
• relate philosophy to other subjects, in particular information theory and computer science
• develop your own research project

Assignments / assessment:

• 1 x 1,000 word project outline, including abstract (300 words), plan and bibliography (700 words) (20%)

1 x 5,000 word project (80%)

Teaching methods / timetable:

• weekly lectures
• weekly seminars