The Good Life in a Technological Age

Bringing together scholars from a cross-section of disciplines, this volume combines an empirical investigation of technology and its social, psychological, and political effects, and a philosophical analysis and evaluation of the implications of such effects.

Introduction Adam Briggle, Philip Brey and Edward Spence Part 1: Mapping the Landscape 1. Well-Being in Philosophy, Psychology, and Economics Philip Brey 2. Theorizing Technology Carl Mitcham and Adam Briggle Part 2: Theoretical Approaches 3. Quality of Life in Technological Society: A Macrosociological Approach Ruut Veenhoven 4. Capabilities and Technology Justine Johnstone 5. Happiness and Meaning in a Technological Age: A Psychological Approach Michael Steger and Joo Yeon Shin 6. The Ambivalence of the Good Life: Happiness, Economics, Technology, and Relational Goods Luigino Bruni 7. Desire-Satisfactionism and Technology Anton Tupa Part 3: Consumer Products and Well-Being 8. Consuming Happiness Lindsey Patterson and Robert Biswas-Diener 9. Thinking Through Consumerism and Technology Pak Hang Wong 10. Consumption and Sustainability: A Neo-Epicurean Approach to a Sustainable Good Life in a Technological World Edward Spence 11. Cell Phones, iPods, and Subjective Well-Being Valerie Tiberius Part 4: Information Technology and Well-Being 12. New Social Media and the Virtues Shannon Vallor 13. Web 2.0: Community as Commodity? Diane P. Michelfelder 14. Types of Internet Use, Well-Being and the Good Life: Ethical Views from Prudential Psychology Omar Rosas 15. Virtually Good? Disclosing the Presuppositions Behind the Claimed Inferiority of Virtual Worlds Johnny Hartz Søraker Part 5: Medical and Agricultural Technology and Well-Being 16. What's Wrong with Techno Food? David Kaplan 17. Human Enhancement and Well-Being Bengt Brülde 18. On Hubris and Hybrids: Ascesis and the Ethics of Technology Peter Paul Verbeek 19. Brave New World: Platonism 2.0 Tsjalling Swierstra 20. Care Robots, Virtual Virtue, and the Best Possible Life Mark Coeckelbergh Part 6: Technology Design and Policy 21. Can We Design for Well-Being? Ibo van de Poel 22. The University, Metrics, and the Good Life Robert Frodeman, J. Britt Holbrook and Kelli Barr 23. Science Policy and the Expectation of Health: The Case for Reforming Peer Review at the National Institutes of Health Adam Briggle 24. Neutrality and Technology: Ortega Y Gasset on the Good Life Jeroen van den Hoven 25. Technological Change and the Destabilization of Liberal Politics Govert Valkenburg