Living with the Internet: ethics in the Noosphere

In this paper we present a holistic alternative to the conventional ground of existent ethical discourse the Internet. We analyse this discourse and the model of the 'net and netizens from which it is derived, and finding it unsatisfactory, present a discourse of co-operative ethics, based on a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Emma Rooksby, Diarmuid Pigott
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Australasian Association for Information Systems 1997-05-01
Series:Australasian Journal of Information Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.acs.org.au/index.php/ajis/article/view/368
Description
Summary:In this paper we present a holistic alternative to the conventional ground of existent ethical discourse the Internet. We analyse this discourse and the model of the 'net and netizens from which it is derived, and finding it unsatisfactory, present a discourse of co-operative ethics, based on a model of the Internet as a Noetic Hyper Entity. We then examine the tradition of such entities in Western Philosophy, and decide which of three traditions (the Preexistent. the Emergent and the Convocational) is suited to our discussion Finally we make suggestions as to how awareness of this entity can provide incentive to act co-operatively, and conclude that the existent form of Netiquette is the best model for appropriate behaviour on the 'net.
ISSN:1449-8618
1449-8618