Epistemology of New Media: The Screen and the Crisis of Reality

Abstract: This crisis is engendered by new media technologies' pervasive influence on contemporary society's grasp of reality, communication, and also its foundational knowledge. The paper argues the digital age, defined by its characteristic "fluid knowledge" and a notable "electronic acceleration," leads to a significant blurring of boundaries. The distinctions between the real and artificial, the organic and inorganic, are increasingly challenged. This directly confronts traditional epistemological certainties, resulting in a "collapse of previous dualities" where the image emerges as a dominant communicative vehicle over text.