Pierre Lévy on collective intelligence in the age of the internet

French philosopher Pierre Lévy, who specialises in new technologies, claims that the internet undermines the notion of collective intelligence. "We are only intelligent collectively thanks to knowledge passed down from generation to generation. Essentially, the Internet is more powerful than the printing press, the radio or the television because it allows cross-communication and better use of the collective memory. ... As we go further in a car than we do by foot, thanks to the harnessing of collective intelligence, we will think further. I believe that we will be able to do things in a more sensible manner, taking into account diversity and complexity. My political perspective is that of human development. We must connect the knowledge society with human development. This will be done with the intention of turning the knowledge society towards a total development which takes into account all aspects of society."

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