A rational attitude means being able to grasp essential issues behind digital transformation and grasp the ideal relation between human beings and technology. In the history of philosophy, many philosophers had in-depth considerations. Merely in the 20th century, there were not only reflection like Max Weber's Iron Cage, Ellul's technological system, Heidegger's frame and Stiegler's algorithmic compulsion, but also constructive solutions such as Feenberg's technical construction, Ihde’s technological intentionality, Verbeek’s technical mediation and Floridi’s data ethics. These scholars have given in-depth analysis on the above issues. If we take a reflective perspective, we find that digital transformation has brought a lot of problems. In a recent article, Byung-Chul Han analyzed some of the problems of digital life in the context of the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, e.g. endless videoconferences via Zoom turn us into videozombies.
Therefore, in the face of the digital transformation trend, we need to start thinking from a fundamental perspective. The essence of digital transformation is node expansion driven by various digital and information technologies. From the perspective of technical development, as the swarm intelligence with the deep fusion of human, machine and things becomes mature, urban digitalization will inevitably form the spatial fusion of human-cyber-physical intelligence. Capital expansion, human needs, swarm intelligence-based computing and laws/regulations will jointly put various digital products together and enable "digital space migration" of people in the digital age. Such space migration is essentially a shift from one app to another. When your phone is dying, there are plenty of shared chargers of unknown brands that you can rent for free by using Alipay points as long as you're willing to bind and disclose your information. Such points also allow you to buy items from vending machines without a deposit. The technical framework invisibly opens users’ access to an unnamed system, which is similar to the experience of "being transferred in the real space". Before the author often encountered being transferred to other vehicles on the way home, which was quite unpleasant.
In addition, in the digital space migration, we will encounter a problem of proving the digital identity of "I am me". Some proof materials need to be provided again and again, or unnecessary materials are required. Technical systems have built themselves into our everyday life based on the values of convenience and efficiency. New needs and issues are reconstructed. They are themselves potential needs or unnecessary issues, but are indeed tempting to individuals. For example, short videos and red dots in moments of friends remind you to click the update immediately.
In such a digital space, how to realize a free relation between humans and data? There is a Chinese idiom that sums it up:"Bring the painted dragon to life by putting in the pupils of its eyes”, which is used to describe finishing touches. In an era when data, intelligence, information and other technologies work together to construct a flow of data, capital from various channels is awaiting accurately profiled users. Therefore,“to bring out finishing touches” is meant to have the consciousness of refusing to be transferred or be arbitrarily hyperlinked to certain space in the technical framework, and to discipline technical procedures by developing necessary technical barriers and laws/regulations for links in order to let the digital space migration make sense and make it possible with unique autonomy and rights. In that sense, to humanize data is just one of the ways to put finishing touches, and many more are waiting to be explored.
Issued on Oct. 21, 2021
Yang Qingfeng, professor of Bioethics Research Center of Fudan University