A Network Orange: Logic and Responsibility in the Computer Age

The primary thesis here is the authors’ belief that the emergence of computers as an elemental force in our society must be viewed with a sceptical eye. Crandall and Levich, one a mathematician, the other a philosopher, strive, however, to present a balanced viewpoint, investigating and reflecting on the good and bad sides of this revolution, and seek meaning in this “Information Age”. Their examination is stripped of journalistic hyperbole, the cries of self-serving prophets, and the sales pitches of the soft- and hardware industries. In separating the wheat from the chaff, the authors provide readers with a much better understanding of the limitations of these new technologies, along with propositions for their better use and within the societal context.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 A Conspiracy Of Parts
Chapter 2 Toward A Theory Of Machine Consciousness
Chapter 3 Multimedia: Melange Qbscur
Chapter 4 A Network Orange
Chapter 5 Virtual Reality, And All That
Chapter 6 Education Be Not Automatic