Read e-book online Speaking Power to Truth: Digital Discourse and the Public PDF

on-line discourse has created a brand new media setting for contributions to public lifestyles, one who demanding situations the social importance of the position of public intellectuals—intellectuals who, even if by way of selection or via condition, supply remark on problems with the day. the price of such statement is rooted within the assumption that, via advantage in their education and adventure, intellectuals own knowledge—that they comprehend what constitutes wisdom with admire to a selected subject, may be able to distinguish it from mere opinion, and are capable of outline its relevance in several contexts. whilst intellectuals touch upon issues of public main issue, they're as a result presumed to talk fact, whether or not they are writing books or op-ed columns or showing as site visitors on radio and tv information courses. while, with expanding frequency, discourse on public existence is occurring on-line. This new electronic surroundings is characterised by way of abundance—an abundance of audio system, dialogue, and entry. yet has this abundance of discourse—this democratization of data, as a few describe it—brought with it a corresponding bring up in truth?

Casting doubt at the statement that on-line discourse, with its proliferation of voices, will one way or the other yield collective knowledge, Speaking strength to Truth increases issues that this wealth of digitally enabled statement is, in truth, too frequently bereft of the hallmarks of highbrow discourse: an epistemological framework and the supply of proof to confirm claims. in its place, the pursuit of fact reveals itself in festival with the search for public attractiveness, entry to persuade, and superior visibility. yet as wisdom is drawn into the orbit of energy, and because the line among wisdom and opinion is blurred, what position will the general public highbrow play within the promoting and nurturing of democratic tactics and targets? In exploring the consequences of the electronic transition, the members to conversing strength to fact supply either empirical proof of, and philosophical mirrored image on, the present and destiny function of the general public highbrow in a technologically mediated public sphere.

With contributions via Karim-Aly Kassam, Barrry Cooper, Jacob G. Foster, Richard Hawkins, Michael Keren, Boaz Miller, Liz Pirnie, and Eleanor Townsley.