Contact us
[email protected] | |
3275638434 | |
Paper Publishing WeChat |
Useful Links
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Article
Ubiquitous Computing: Technological Autonomy or Human Autonomy?
Author(s)
Zhu Wenxi
Wang Guoyu
Full-Text PDF XML 284 Views
DOI:10.17265/2159-5313/2018.05.002
Affiliation(s)
Dalian University of Technology
Fudan University
ABSTRACT
With
the rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT) and
sensor technology, ubiquitous computing (or pervasive computing) has become
widely used with much convenience to human life. For instance, people can use
their electronic devices at hand (e.g., Google glasses or Apple watch) to
access information they need. However, this “ubiquitous” service poses
challenges to human autonomy. Based on the analysis of the features of
pervasive computing, this paper points out the ambiguity between the subject
and object of ubiquitous computing and shows technological interventions can
affect human autonomy at three levels: technology addiction, the degradation of
human capacities, and the reversal of the end and the means caused by the fuzziness
of man-machine interface. In other words, ubiquitous computing gives people
unprecedented convenience, and it also deprives of their freedom. According to
Kant’s Theory of Freedom, this article reflects on the relationship between the
autonomy of technology and that of humankind.
KEYWORDS
ubiquitous computing, technological autonomy, human autonomy, freedom
Cite this paper
References