DIGITAL PAIDEIA OR TEACHING PHILOSOPHY IN MCLUHAN GALAXY: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Abstract

The new generation of young digital individuals exhibits cognitive patterns largely shaped by the media ontology of their time, along with their constant engagement with digital technology. Digital media and internet connectivity establish a new ontology, derived from the Latin ubiquitas, meaning omnipresence and existence everywhere. This digital ubiquity—enabled by the internet, virtual reality, social networks, gaming consoles, rapid information exchange, smart mobile devices, artificial intelligence, and other immersive environments—profoundly transforms young people. In this text, we aim to explore the challenges, difficulties, and opportunities  philosophy  professors  face  when  engaging with this new generation. Specifically, we will discuss the significance of philosophical education in the digital era, drawing on Marshall McLuhan’s book Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. We will also examine the emergence of a radically new digital environment, where today’s youth differ significantly from those for whom the traditional educational system was originally designed. Furthermore, we will consider how philosophical pedagogy can be reimagined to align with the possibilities offered by digital technology. Our central thesis is that philosophy educators must adapt the classroom to the digital world in which students now live. Philosophical pedagogy must transform digital technology into a didactic tool; otherwise, none of the educational and functional objectives of philosophy teaching will be achievable.