Meaningful Technologies: How Digital Metaphors Change the Way We Think and Live

When we click on a picture of a shopping cart it connects a complex set of technologies to represent a simple idea that we’re all familiar with. A heart icon under a photo is understood as an expression of interest or appreciation. Digital metaphors like these are everywhere in our lives, but they aren’t just a clever way to describe technology. Metaphors like “the cloud” are also changing the way we think. They are the linchpin for a constant feedback loop between us and the digital technologies we consume.

Meaningful Technologies focuses on the feedback loop between digital metaphors and technology: its meaning, how it changes over time, and how it impacts learning and attention. Uniting approaches from philosophy and the cognitive and computer sciences, the authors examine digital technologies, especially social media and smartphone apps like Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok to offer a systematic reconsideration of the ways in which digital technologies impact our lives both individually and collectively.

About the authors
Eric Chown is the Sarah and James Bowdoin Professor of Digital and Computational Studies at Bowdoin College.

Fernando Nascimento is Assistant Professor in Digital and Computational Studies at Bowdoin College.