Despite a favorable finding that Internet has made life better (p. 137), at least one other survey indicates the opposite that it leads to greater isolation, indifference (p.137), depression and loneliness (p.3). It is in light of these studies that Prof. Dreyfus does a keen eye-opening analysis that weighs the benefits versus the dangers of Internet in our lives. He presents some interesting insights on the nature of conventional library-based versus online search methodology (p.13, 16), but I would like to focus more on his views in regards to the effects of Internet on education and human personality in general. Dreyfus's conclusion on distance education is that it has the ability to bring students to the level of competence, but not expertise (p.32-46). Emotional interactions between teachers and students as well as among students are essential for a learning process that leads to a thorough knowledge and practical skills usable in the field. Conscientious teachers will not settle or be satisfied with teaching remote students. Conscientious students acknowledge the limitation of online classes and yearn for an onsite instructor they can establish eye contacts with and treat as not merely a source of information, but also as someone who is willing to encourage, compliment, correct and rebuke them personally.
The most important diagnosis that Dreyfus provides is on the subject of telepresence and disembodied interactions (ch.3-5). What makes a human being unique and distinguishes us from machines is that we not only have an intellect, emotion and will, but also the ability for them to interact with each other within ourselves as well as with other human beings. The Internet may have an impressive and seemingly infinite intelligence to provide almost any information we need and the technology to bring people all over the world closer together via social networks, text, voice and video communications. But it doesn't have emotion and will and in my opinion, will never replace a true human emotion and face-to-face, physical interaction with a virtual one. A virtual interaction not only lacks these qualities but also poses some dangers as well. First, it tends to deceive us into thinking that the Internet provides all our emotional needs (p. 68-69, 136). Second, it discourages commitment (or unconditional commitment as Dreyfus puts it) and risk-taking (or bold experimentation to use Dreyfus's term, p.102-105) due to the comfortable and risk-free nature of online engagements. Third, it numbs our ability to discern what is important. It makes us lazy and indifferent to real needs. As a corollary of the second danger, it tends to paralyze us into perpetual observers and disable us from doing anything useful (p.76-77, 79, 81). The last thing we want to happen is we care more about our online friends who live thousands of miles away at the expense of neglecting our family in our household or the people who live in our neighborhood. The Internet is the best means to escape from reality.
In summary, Dreyfus warns against inordinate infatuation with the Internet that tends to adversely affect our human personality. I can think of at least three things we can do in response if we believe his conclusion is true. First, we ought to labor to seek physical rather than virtual interactions as much as possible. Prefer face-to-face conversations with people who are present physically in front of us to the use of electronic mediums such as chat rooms or applications like Second Life. Seek as close personal interactions as possible. For example, a video is better than a phone conversation. A phone conversation is better than a text message or chatting on Facebook. Second, we ought to labor to find wise mentors who live nearby. Seek counsel and learn from them often instead of relying solely on the Internet. There are information and skills that can only be acquired from people directly through a personal interaction. Third, we ought to prefer physical to online activities. It is more beneficial for our health to go hiking at the real Yosemite than the virtual one we find in Second Life. Serving meals at a homeless shelter is a greater blessing to others than counseling people online. Dreyfus does not imply that the Internet is totally worthless. He just encourages us to use it wisely, such as to advance the causes that are dear to us (p. 137), to communicate with our loved ones who live in a distant place, and to receive education when face-to-face learning is prohibitive.
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