Old Lessons for New Challenges

Explores the impact of the new media and AI through the history of political theory.

Thinkers of the past were aware of the impact of the medium of communication on self- and political identity, from the invention of writing to the printed press, radio, and TV, before the new media and AI. What can we learn from them to face today's challenges?Despite the distinctiveness of the digital revolution, the past can still prepare us for present and future transformations. Plato warned about the potential dangers of writing in the Phaedrus centuries ago. Since then, many thinkers have become increasingly aware of the blessings and the curses of sudden and radical change in communication. The invention of the printing press, for example, had significant social and political repercussions-much like the digital revolution. In Old Lessons for New Challenges, contributors examine how significant changes in information transmission can result in major societal and political transformations, including the nature of democracy, the efficacy of public opinion, and the development of civic virtues. It brings together scholars working on various topics and time periods in the history of political thought from Plato through Judith Shklar to provide fresh perspectives on the social and political challenges raised by AI and new media.