From the Enlightenment to the Internet

[gL.edu] This article gathers contributions by Oumaima Jebali, developed within the context of the Conceptual clarifications about "Utopias and the Information Society", under the supervisión of J.M. Díaz Nafría.

Abstract

This article explores the evolution of the concept of wisdom, tracing its development from the Enlightenment period of the 17^th and 18^th centuries to the complexities and dynamics of today’s digital era. During the Enlightenment, wisdom was strongly associated with the blossoming sectors of empirical science and rational thought, reflecting a profound shift in the comprehension and appreciation of human knowledge. Part of the transition to today's digital age is about how the enormous access to information has redefined wisdom. In this article, we discuss both the opportunities that this new age offers for knowledge acquisition, emphasising the incredible access to information and educational resources, as well as the significant challenges it presents when it comes to preserving authentic knowledge among a flood of data and often conflicting information.

Historic Background

Wisdom

Wisdom is a term that is generally understood as the intelligent application of knowledge and involves the ability to make reasoned decisions, solve complex problems and apply lessons learned in a well thought out and effective way. For so many academics and philosophers, the precise meaning of wisdom has long been disputed. It is often described as the ability to make reasoned judgements and decisions based on knowledge, experience and understanding. This multi-layered concept goes beyond the simple acquisition of information to include the careful integration and implementation of knowledge in real-life scenarios in order to achieve results that are both morally and ethically acceptable. As Walsh noted in 2015, the search for and application of wisdom involves a complex combination of emotional intelligence and learning, which underlines its profound relevance to various aspects of life, including personal development and decision-making.

The Enlightenment Era

The Enlightenment, often referred to as the ‘Age of Reason’, was a fundamental intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries and radically changed the cultural, political and scientific landscape of the period. This era is largely considered a critical moment in the history of the West, marking the transition from a period of darkness to a period of enlightenment by proposing a society based on reason, scientific inquiry and individual autonomy. This shift has brought about significant advances in various fields such as science, philosophy and politics, which contributed to the development of a more liberal and intellectual society.

During the Age of Enlightenment, printed documents began to make a significant impact on public opinion, spreading revolutionary ideas and facilitating the sharing of knowledge between different regions and social classes. It enabled the fast spread of new ideas and texts and broke the dominance of knowledge that had previously been held by the religious and political elites. This period saw an explosion in the publication of books, dissertations and essays that challenged existing theories and brought revolutionary ideas to the whole of Europe. As printed material became increasingly available, knowledge became accessible not only to the aristocracy or the elite but also to the emerging middle class, thus, education is becoming prioritised and a better informed and engaged population is being promoted. Public libraries emerged and the growth in literature increased, fostering a better-informed public. In this manner, dictionaries also had an immense role in making information accessible to a broader segment of the population, like the ‘Encyclopédie’, Edited by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert, broke the traditional dictionaries by involving multiple international experts as contributors. From a political and social perspective, the Encyclopédie contributed to an environment of both intellectual ferment and of questioning that opened the way for revolutionary movements such as the French Revolution. Spreading the ideas of the Enlightenment not only in France, but also throughout Europe and America, the Encyclopédie influenced leaders and revolutionaries.

This expansion of printed material has not only helped to further prioritise information but has also offered influential thinkers a platform to challenge the current status quo and inspire change. One of these thinkers was Voltaire, who symbolised the spirit of the Enlightenment in his writings. Voltaire defended intellectual freedom, criticised intolerance and advocated a vision of wisdom that was based on critical thinking and open-mindedness. In this manner, he declared, “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers”, to emphasise the value of intellectual curiosity and the desire for wisdom rather than just having and giving answers. Following Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, yet another central figure of the Enlightenment, his political philosophy also strongly influenced the subsequent revolutionary movements. He influenced of lot of writers of the Enlightenment, among them Immanuel Kant, particularly in ethical thought.

The Internet Era

In the 1960s, the internet was only used as a way for government researchers, enabling them to share information efficiently across long distances and collaborate on different projects with great speed and facility. During this period of rapid technological innovations and Cold War tensions, the US Department of Defense acknowledged the strategic importance of resilient and decentralised communication systems. As a result, the US Department of Defence funded the original concept through the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) which led to the creation of ARPANET in 1969. This network laid the foundations and the infrastructure for the technology that eventually became the modern Internet, a revolution in global communication and information exchange. Information has become accessible to a wider audience than ever before, removing knowledge barriers and giving people from all backgrounds easy access to a variety of resources and information. The educational resources, scientific researchers and historical data that were once restricted to elite institutions are now accessible to everyone within reach of an internet connection. Today, a large number of academic journals, books and educational materials are accessible for free or at a small cost via open access platforms. Websites such as Google Scholar, PubMed and the repositories of educational institutions provide access to a huge number of academic articles and research papers. Learning platforms including Khan Academy, Coursera and edX offer courses from renowned universities and institutions. Such courses are often available for no cost or at just a tiny fraction of the cost of traditional education, making high-quality learning accessible to a global audience.

Dystopian / Utopian Perspective

Although the Enlightenment and the Internet age are centuries apart, both offer a wide range of utopian and dystopian perspectives on the strive for and distribution of knowledge, highlighting the potential benefits and potential traps associated with the pursuit and expansion of wisdom.

In the period of the Enlightenment, the utopian vision was characterised above all by strong convictions in the power of reason and science to elevate humanity, reform the society and guarantee a more enlightened system. While Enlightenment was considered a step in the right direction, it was also strongly opposed because it was capable of spreading unsafe ideas and reasons that were detached from fundamental values. There were critics such as Edmund Burke who pointed out the excesses of rationalism and the dangers of rejecting traditional patterns and values, warning of a possible destabilisation of society. The enlightenment era can be criticized for its Eurocentric perspective and the way it fosters cultural imperialism. The thinkers of this period generally regarded European civilisation as being superior, which in turn justified colonialism and the enforcement of European values on other cultures. This perspective has been called into question for overlooking and devaluing non-European philosophies and contributions, failing to appreciate the richness and diversity of wisdom in different cultures around the world. Additionally, the Enlightenment’s support for freedom and equality often left out huge sections of the population, such as women, coloured people and the working classes. Despite these proclaimed universal values, both feminist and postcolonial critics have stressed the inconsistencies and limitations of their application, pointing out that the era has failed to fully extend these principles of equality to all people. Moreover, some historians argue that the Enlightenment laid the intellectual foundations for modern racism. During this period, humanity was divided into different races with supposedly genetic characteristics, with white Europeans often at the top of the hierarchical structure. This kind of racial pseudo-scientificism was later used to justify slavery, colonialism and racial discrimination.

In the process of transitioning to the Internet age, we encounter a similarly two-faced vision, where the potential of having unlimited access to information and global connectivity coexists with challenges such as misinformation, privacy concerns and the digital divide. On the utopian side, the Internet has raised accessibility to a level never seen before. In today's world, wisdom continues to evolve, driven by the fast pace of technological progress and the spread of information via the internet. Anyone with internet access can access information on practically any topic. This has given way to the concept of the ‘global village’, in which information is not limited by geographical boundaries. Actually, the Internet is speeding up the interchange of ideas across cultures and academic disciplines, allowing individuals to seek wisdom through a vast array of resources, which can lead to greater levels of creativity and the ability to solve problems. This quick turnover can contribute to synchronising new forms of wisdom by bringing together different approaches and expertise.

However, although there are many advantages, the vast amount of information available can be overwhelming. The difficulty lies not only in gaining access to the information but also in evaluating its reliability as well as its relevance. The spread of misinformation, misleading statements, the emergence of digital biases and the shallowness of online interactions, are barriers faced in the everyday life when using the internet.

To sum up, the dystopian perspective in the internet era is profoundly pronounced. The same empowering tool that allows freedom and democracy can also be manipulated to monitor, control and confuse the population, leading to a kind of digital obscurity where truth is masked and wisdom is difficult to recognise. Furthermore, the anxiety and social distance created by the digital interaction could result in a breakdown of social norms and a decline in the quality of constructive, mutually respectful dialogue. Therefore, the wisdom of the modern consumer largely relies on their capability to critically judge the information they find online.

Personal View

My perception is that both the age of Enlightenment and the age of the Internet are key moments in the development of human wisdom, each marked by landmark changes in terms of expanding access to knowledge and prioritising the distribution of information. The Age of Enlightenment, along with its accent on rational thinking and scepticism towards traditional authorities, provided a basis for modern critical thinking and scientific research, which are vital to the progress of humankind. Meanwhile, the internet age has further weaponised wisdom, making it accessible on an entirely unique scale and fostering global connections that boost our shared understanding. However, each era also comes with its own unique risks, such as the potential for misinformation and a lack of valuing emotional and moral aspects in the internet age and the limitations regarding accessibility in the Age of Enlightenment. Ultimately, both periods highlight the significance of finding a balance between wide access to information and a critical evaluation and ethical consideration in order to truly promote human wisdom.

Conclusion

Both periods represent transformative eras in how humans understand and manipulate information to reshape societies. On one hand, the Enlightenment era characterised a profound change that stimulated a reexamination of ethical and philosophical ideas. It emphasised human intelligence and empirical evidence as the keystone of knowledge and moved society away from traditional theories towards a more questioning and scientifically based approach.

On the other hand, and as we fast forward to the present day, we again find ourselves amid a revolution - the digital age. The invention of the Internet fundamentally changed the way knowledge was shared. The knowledge that was discovered was easier to find, but also more complicated to recognise. In contrast to the knowledge of the Enlightenment, which was primarily communicated in the form of printed works or through academic discourse, today's knowledge is communicated via digital platforms, social media, blogs, online forums, multimedia platforms and a growing number of online resources, to allow the global spread of information. Just as the printing press revolutionised access to information, the internet has also democratised it, providing an opportunity for those who can access it to publish their thoughts and share knowledge. Nevertheless, in this new era, we also face unique issues, including concerns about data privacy, the digital gap and the impact of artificial intelligence on our understanding of knowledge and reality. All these issues are forcing us to constantly adapt and rethink the way we handle and evaluate information in our society.

As we move through this complicated digital journey, we might ask: did the Enlightenment illuminate the path to wisdom by promoting reason and empirical knowledge, while the internet age accelerates this path by making information broadly accessible? Or are we merely clouding true wisdom with an overwhelming flow of data in the glow of the Internet's unlimited amount of information?