You are viewing the historical archive of The Philosophy Forum.
For current discussions, visit the live forum.
Go to live forum

Are we living in a modern panopticon?

Robotictac September 12, 2021 at 10:23 2625 views 15 comments
I have the itchy feeling we live in a modern, highly sophisticated and refined panopticon. Science and technology support its construction, maintenance, and future furthering and developments.

Is my feeling justified?

Comments (15)

180 Proof September 12, 2021 at 10:52 #593007
Aka the internet. Cyber-gnosis (i.e. "The Matrix").
Bartricks September 12, 2021 at 10:57 #593010
Reply to Robotictac Yes. This is a prison. You are living in ignorance in a dangerous world. God exists. God wouldn't subject innocent people to a life of ignorance in a dangerous world. Thus you are not innocent. There is no other reasonable conclusion
Robotictac September 12, 2021 at 11:22 #593013
Quoting Bartricks
God wouldn't subject innocent people to a life of ignorance in a dangerous world.


Is this why he made Eve bite the apple?
Outlander September 12, 2021 at 11:23 #593014
Reply to Bartricks

Sure there is. Challenge mode, extra hard level on a video game. Just look at ski slopes. Color coded for convenience even. Where would the fun be in knowing you were placed there by choice. That leaves an easy exit as a non-option.. which is part of the difficulty, and hence, the fun.

Prison, requested obstacle course, when ignorance allows either of the two to be equally viable.. what you choose says more about you than the environment and/or circumstances that placed you in it now doesn't it?
Bartricks September 12, 2021 at 11:56 #593022
Reply to Robotictac Er, what? What are you on about?
Bartricks September 12, 2021 at 11:58 #593023
Reply to Outlander What? What was that?

If the purpose was to give you fun, the world would contain more of it. It'd be nothing but fun. He's omnipotent. Look it up.
Robotictac September 12, 2021 at 12:01 #593024
Reply to Bartricks

After she bit the apple, her innocence was gone. She knew!
Bartricks September 12, 2021 at 12:03 #593029
Reply to Robotictac how does that have anything to do with what I said? Why are you talking about the bible? Did I mention it? I haven't read it and don't care what it says.
Reasoned reflection reveals we are in a prison.
Robotictac September 12, 2021 at 12:05 #593031
Reply to Bartricks

You said nobody is innocent.
Robotictac September 12, 2021 at 12:07 #593033
Reply to Bartricks

You said that knowing makes guilty.
Bartricks September 12, 2021 at 12:07 #593034
Reply to Robotictac What? Where? Quote me
(And answer my question - why are you talking about the bible when I never mentioned it?)
Robotictac September 12, 2021 at 12:08 #593035
Quoting Bartricks
God wouldn't subject innocent people to a life of ignorance in a dangerous world. Thus you are not innocent. There is no other reasonable conclusion


Bartricks September 12, 2021 at 12:09 #593036
Reply to Robotictac That quote doesn't say that "knowing makes guilty" (whatever that means).

Read it carefully. It's an argument.

1: If God exists, God would not allow innocent persons to live in ignorance in a dangerous world.
2: God exists
3. therefore God has not allowed innocent persons to live in a dangerous world.
4. We are living in ignorance in a dangerous world
5. Therefore we are not innocent
Robotictac September 12, 2021 at 12:19 #593043
Reply to Bartricks

So therefore we are guilty. But of what? Of knowing?
Bartricks September 12, 2021 at 12:47 #593060
Reply to Robotictac I don't know. Something. It's beside the point.
Let's say you find yourself in a bed, all bandaged up and hooked up to various monitors. There are also others around you in a similar situation. Well, it is reasonable to infer that you are in hospital and that you suffered a major health incident. You don't have to know specifically what.
Likewise: we can reasonably infer that we are in a prison. One does not have to know for what.