Human Identity in the Fourth Revolution: A Comparative Reading of Heidegger’s Dasein and Floridi’s Inforg

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili (uma), Ardabil, Iran

2 PhD in Philosophy of Art, Ardabil Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran

Abstract

The Fourth Revolution, driven by data, has transformed not only the tools of human life, but also the very foundations of human identity. This article, drawing upon the anthropological dimensions of two distinct theoretical frameworks—Heidegger’s existential analytic and Floridi’s philosophy of information—argues that neither is sufficient on its own to provide a comprehensive account of human identity in the digital world. The analysis proceeds through three main axes: first, the horizon of identity, contrasting “world” as the field of meaning with the “infosphere” as an informational ecosystem; second, being-with, juxtaposing Heidegger’s Mitsein with human coexistence alongside artificial agents; and third, temporality, comparing existential temporality with the dynamism of data. The study shows that Floridi’s notion of the inforg is powerful in accounting for the ecological and networked layers of identity, yet it fails to account for the horizon of meaning and temporality. Conversely, Heidegger’s Dasein can elucidate these fundamental dimensions but remains silent before the computational and networked complexities of the digital age. The outcome of this analysis is a proposed “two-layered” model of identity in the digital world that moves beyond data-driven reductionism and the limitations of classical existentialism, without claiming to provide a complete explanation.

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References

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 19, Issue 52 - Serial Number 52
Articles
52 Autumn 2025
November 2025
Pages 19-40

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