New phenomena of digitalization from a philosophical perspective

Together with PD Dr. Jörg Noller, Prof. Dr. Karoline Reinhardt has launched a new academic network funded by the DFG. The network will  analyse  and systematize phenomena of digitalization - the Internet, artificial intelligence, computer games and virtual reality - in terms of their significance for our lives. 

Digitalization, as a far-reaching phenomenon, is becoming increasingly pervasive and an integral part of our daily lives, culture, and way of life, thereby influencing various aspects of life. The aim of the scientific network is to philosophically explore, describe, and systematically organize the newer phenomena of digitalization, as well as to discuss the possibilities and limits of a "digital philosophy."

The academic network focuses on the following three research areas:

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning: 
  This includes automated decision-making processes, complex forms of pattern recognition, as well as newer forms of human-machine interaction and robotics.
• Virtual reality and digital games:
  These include complex forms of simulations that themselves either appear as realities, augmented reality or represent new forms of reality themselves. 
• The internet: 
  These include social networks, but also complex semantic knowledge systems and search engines, as well as interactive virtual action spaces, such as those currently referred to as the “metaverse” or “darknet”.

These three areas cannot simply be assigned to a single philosophical discipline. Instead, their significance must be considered from an interdisciplinary philosophical perspective, taking into account ethics, epistemology, ontology, anthropology, metaphilosophy and philosophy of education. Bringing together these various disciplines is one core aim of the network.

Activities of the network 
Four projects are being implemented as part of the network, which are closely linked to the activities of the DGPhil working group "Philosophy and Digitality":

• A publicly accessible wiki on the philosophy of digitality, in which philosophical explorations and definitions are systematized and discussed. 
• A handbook on the philosophy of digitality, which is to emerge from the wiki and deals with ethics, anthropology and philosophy in relation to the Internet, artificial intelligence, computer games and virtual reality. 
• An open-access journal, "Philosophy & Digitality," serves as a forum for the philosophy of digitality. The journal is hosted and published by the Specialized Information Service for Philosophy at the University of Cologne, in collaboration with the Cologne University Library. It aims to meet the highest international standards of peer review and is supported by a distinguished international advisory board.
• A philosophical blog that regularly informs about the results of the network and contains podcasts, summaries and video recordings.