This book is a philosophical introduction to the field of communication
and media studies. In search of the philosophical backgrounds of that
relatively young field, the book explores why this overwhelmingly
popular discipline is in crisis. The book discusses classic
introductions on communication, provides an update on lessons learned,
and re-evaluates the work of pioneers in the light of up-to-date
philosophical standards. It summarizes various debates surrounding the
foundations of system theory and especially its applicability to the
Social Sciences in general and to Communication Studies in particular.
Communication schools promise their students an understanding of the
source of a principal and dynamical power in their lives, a power
shaping societies and identities, molding aspirations, and deciding
their fates. They also promise students a practical benefit, a chance to
learn the secret of controlling that dynamical power, improving a set of
skills that would ensure them a critical edge in the future job market:
become better media experts for all media. Yet no one seems to know how
such promises are met. Can there be a general theory of communication?
If not, what can (should) communication students learn? This book looks
at the problem from a philosophical perspective and proposes a framework
wherein critical cases can be tested.
