Professor & Chair
Philosophy & Religious Studies

D.E Wittkower

9016 BATTEN ARTS & LETTERS
NORFOLK, 23529

D.E. Wittkower is a philosopher of technology working on topics including engineering education for design justice, anti-discriminatory design methodology, postphenomenological analysis of everyday life in digital mediation, and conduct of personal relationships online.

Ph.D. in Philosophy, Vanderbilt University, (2006)

M.A. in Philosophy, Vanderbilt University, (2004)

B.A. in Society and the Human Condition, University of Redlands, (1997)

Expertise

Philosophy
Philosophy of Technology; New Media Theory; Social Networks and Social Media; Business Ethics; Philosophy of Popular Culture; Political Philosophy; Critical Internet Theory; Internet Studies; Philosophy of Technology, Race, and Gender
Popular Culture
Philosophy of Popular Culture, New Media Theory, Social Networks and Social Media, Internet Studies, Philosophy and Science Fiction
Internet
Social Media Theory; New Media Theory; Digital Culture; Cybersecurity Ethics; Information Ethics; Privacy
Media Studies
Social Media Theory; New Media Theory; Digital Culture; Cybersecurity Ethics; Information Ethics; Privacy

Research Interests

Phenomenology of Technology
Postphenomenology
Gender and Technology
Race and Technology
Critical Theory
Critical Internet Theory
Internet Studies
Cybersecurity Ethics
Computer Ethics
Data Ethics
AI Ethics
Information Literacy

Articles

Jarrett, K. and Wittkower, D. (2016). Economies of the Internet (Introduction to Special Issue). First Monday 21 (10).
Wittkower, D. (2016). Lurkers, creepers, and virtuous interactivity: From property rights to consent and care as a conceptual basis for privacy concerns and information ethics. First Monday 21 (10).
Wittkower, D. (2016). Principles of anti-discriminatory design. 2016 IEEE International Symposium on Ethics in Engineering, Science and Technology.
Wittkower, D. (2015). In the Funding of the Silent Majority. mediacommons.
Wittkower, D. (2015). Social media and the organization man. APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers 15 (1) , pp. 16-20.
Wittkower, D. (2015). Taking care of Business Cat. Backchannels, a publication of the Society for Social Studies of Science 1 (1).
Wittkower, D. and Wittkower, L. (2014). Exploiting fluencies: Educational expropriation of social networking site consumer training. Digital Culture and Education (6) , pp. 13-29.
Wittkower, D. (2014). Facebook and dramauthentic identity: A post-Goffmanian model of identity performance on SNS. First Monday 19 (4).
Wittkower, D., Selinger, E. and Wittkower, L. (2014). Public philosophy of technology: Motivations, barriers, and reforms (revision of version originally published in conference proceedings). Techné 17 (2) , pp. 179–200.
Davis, F. and Wittkower, D. (2014). Statement on massive open online courses (MOOCs). APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers 14 (1) , pp. 38–41.
Wittkower, D. (2014). Statement on open-access publication. APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers 13 (2) , pp. 11-12.
Wittkower, D. (2013). A phenomenology of SNS sharing. Selected Papers of Internet Research (3).
Wittkower, D. (2013). Digital disruptions: An interview with D.E. Wittkower. Interstitial Journal 1 (10).
Wittkower, D. (2012). The Vital Non-Action of Occupation, Offline and Online. International Review of Information Ethics 18 , pp. 169-174.
Wittkower, D. (2012). 'Friend' is a Verb. APA Newsletter on Computers and Philosophy 12 (1) , pp. 22-26.
Wittkower, D. (2011). Friendship in the Facebook Ontology. Center for Society and Cyberstudies.
Wittkower, D. (2009). Method against Method: Swarm and Interdisciplinary Research Methodology. Social Identities 15 (4) , pp. 477-493.
Wittkower, D. (2008). Revolutionary Industry and Digital Colonialism. Fast Capitalism 4 (1) , pp. 31.

Books

Wittkower, D. (2013). The Philosopher's Book of Questions and Answers. Adams Media.
Wittkower, D. (2011). Philip K. Dick and Philosophy. Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2010). Facebook and Philosophy. Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2010). Mr. Monk and Philosophy. Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2008). iPod and Philosophy. Open Court.

Book Chapters

Wittkower, D. (2017). Technology and Discrimination Space for the Future: A Companion to Philosophy of Technology New York: Routledge.
Anderson, T. and Wittkower, D. (2017). Why Legally Downloading Music is Morally Wrong The Ethical Life New York: Oxford University Press.
Gehring, D. and Wittkower, D. (2015). On the sale of community in crowdfunding: Questions of power, inclusion, and value Crowdfunding the future: Media industries, ethics, and digital society New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.
Wittkower, D. (2013). Boredom on Facebook Unlike Us Reader: Social Media Monopolies and Their Alternatives (pp. 180-188) Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures.
Wittkower, D. (2013). Farmville, eternal recurrence, and the will-to-power-ups The digital dionysus: Nietzsche and the network-centric condition Punctum Books.
Wittkower, D. (2013). Sympathy and the perfect soldier Ender’s Game and philosophy (pp. 181–190) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2012). On the Origins of the Cute as a Dominant Aesthetic Category in Digital Culture Putting Knowledge to Work and Letting Information Play (pp. 212-221) Boston: Sense Publishers (Springer).
Wittkower, D. (2011). A Provisional Phenomenology of the Audiobook Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (pp. 216-231) Routledge.
Wittkower, D. and Oxley, J. (2011). Care and Loyalty in the Workplace Applying Care Ethics to Business (pp. 221-244) New York: Springer.
Wittkower, D. (2011). Matt Damon is a Vast, Sinister Conspiracy Philip K. Dick and Philosophy (pp. 101-110) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2011). Mind Mapping and Concept Mapping Learning Through Digital Media: Experiments in Technology and Pedagogy (pp. 221-229) Institute for Distributed Creativity.
Wittkower, D. (2011). On the Wrongfulness of Strong Copyright in E-Business Global Business: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications (pp. 2157-2176) Hershey, PA: Information Resources Management Association (IGI Global).
Wittkower, D. and Green, R. (2011). The Case of the Dangerous Detective Sherlock Holmes and Philosophy (pp. 77-85) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2011). Time in Unfixed Are You [sic] Philip K. Dick and Philosophy (pp. 293-297) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2010). A Reply to Facebook Critics Facebook and Philosophy (pp. xxi-xxx) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2010). Fullmetal Alchemist and the Deadly Sins of Late Capitalism Anime and Philosophy (pp. 205-217) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. and Tarantino, G. (2010). Mr. Monk and the Death Drive Mr. Monk and Philosophy (pp. 235-249) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2010). Mr. Monk Meets Alexander the Great Mr. Monk and Philosophy (pp. xi-xvii) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2010). On the Wrongfulness of Strong Copyright in E-Business Ethical Issues in E-Business (pp. 152-171) Hershey, PA: Business Science Reference (IGI Global).
Wittkower, D. and Vejby, R. (2010). Spectacle 2.0? Facebook and Philosophy (pp. 97-108) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2009). Everybody Hates "Rainbows" Radiohead and Philosophy (pp. 123-134) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2008). The Rhodesian Stranger iPod and Philosophy (pp. 229-236) Chicago: Open Court.
Wittkower, D. (2008). What do we Hear when we Listen to our iPods? iPod and Philosophy (pp. ix-xiv) Chicago: Open Court.

Conference Proceeding

Wittkower, D., Selinger, E. and Wittkower, L. (2013). Public philosophy of technology: Motivations, barriers, and reforms Proceedings of CEPE 2013.

Presentations

Wittkower, D. (September , 2013). The Phenomenology of Sharing on Social Networking Sites Keynote/Plenary Address Transforming Audiences London, UK.
Wittkower, D. (July , 2013). The Phenomenology of SNS Sharing Paper 18th International Conference of the Society for Philosophy and Technology: SPT2013: Technology in the Age of Information Lisbon, Portugal.
Wittkower, D., Selinger, E. and Wittkower, L. (July , 2013). Public Philosophy of Technology: Motivations, Barriers, and Reforms Paper Computer Ethics, Philosophical Enquiry (CEPE) 2013: Ambiguous Technologies: Philosophical Issues, Practical Solutions, Human Nature Lisbon, Portugal.
Wittkower, D. (April , 2013). Farmville, Eternal Recurrence, and the Will to Power Up Lecture Fourth Nietzsche Workshop @ Western New York, NY.
Wittkower, D. (March , 2013). The Phenomenology of SNS Sharing Lecture Seminar Series, Department of Science, Technology, and Society, co-sponsored by the Department of Philosophy Blacksburg, VA.
Wittkower, D. (October , 2012). Facebook and Dramauthentic Identity Paper Internet Research 13.0: Technologies Salford, UK.
Wittkower, D. (May , 2012). Facebook and the #Occupation Lecture 4th ICTs and Society Conference: Critique, Democracy, and Philosophy in 21st Century Information Society Uppsala, Sweden.
Wittkower, D. (April , 2012). Reification 2.0: How Facebook Changes our Relationships with Others and with Ourselves Paper Philosophy Colloquium Series Denton, TX.
Wittkower, D. (March , 2012). Reification 2.0 Keynote/Plenary Address Unlike Us : Understanding Social Media Monopolies and their Alternatives, Unlike Us Amsterdam Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Wittkower, D. (November , 2011). Technology, Terrorism, and Direct Action Lecture Unlike Us: Understanding Social Media Monopolies and their Alternatives, Unlike Us Limassol Limassol, Cyprus.
Wittkower, D. (October , 2011). On the Efficient and Material Causes of Friendship Lecture Internet Research 11.0—Sustainability, Participation, Action, Annual Meeting of the Association of Internet Researchers Gothenburg, Sweden.
Wittkower, D. (October , 2011). Educational Expropriation of Digital Consumer Training Lecture Mobility Shifts: An International Future of Learning Summit New York, NY.
Wittkower, D. (June , 2011). Friend is a Verb: On the Moral Functions and Advantages of Oversharing Online Paper Workshop—Construction of Personal Identities Online Hertfordshire, UK.
Wittkower, D. (May , 2011). The Moral Equivalent of Terrorism Lecture 17th International Conference of the Society for Philosophy and Technology Denton, TX.
Wittkower, D. (April , 2011). Oversharing and the Untidy Self Lecture TMI: A University Dialogue on Decision Making in the Age of Information Overload Durham, NH.
Wittkower, D. (December , 2010). Implications of Facebook for an Adequate Theory of Friendship Lecture APA Eastern Division Annual Meeting Boston, MA.
Wittkower, D. (December , 2010). Non-Linear Presentations: Using Software to Communicate Theories Rather than Bullet Points Lecture APA Eastern Division Annual Meeting Boston, MA.
Wittkower, D. (August , 2010). Mind-Mapping Software in Philosophical Instruction Paper American Association of Philosophy Teachers Biennial Meeting Conway, SC.
Wittkower, D. and Burd, B. (November , 2009). The Ethics of Intellectual Property in a Wired World Lecture Tea and Ethics Conway, SC.
Wittkower, D. (October , 2009). Emergent Ethical Effects in Social Networking Paper Internet Research 10.0—Internet:Critical Annual Meeting of the Association of Internet Researchers Milwaukee, WI.
Wittkower, D. (October , 2009). Mr. Monk and the Death Drive Paper Popular Culture Association in the South/American Culture Association in the South Joint Annual Meeting Wilmington, NC.
Wittkower, D. (June , 2009). Social Networks and the Glut of the Commons Keynote/Plenary Address North American Conference on Computing and Philosophy Bloomington, IN.
Wittkower, D. (April , 2009). The Digital and teh Cute [sic] Paper Media in Transition 6: Stone and Papyrus, Storage and Transmission Cambridge, MA.
Wittkower, D. (February , 2009). Nihilistic Democracy: Nietzsche, James, and the Sources of and Response to Christian and Islamic Fundamentalism Lecture Celebration of Inquiry Conway, SC.
Wittkower, D. (February , 2009). A Kantian Theory of Digital Copyright Paper South Carolina Philosophical Society Annual Meeting Rock Hill, SC.
Wittkower, D. (November , 2008). Podcasting and the Future of Political Agency Lecture Interdisciplinary Studies Lecture Series Conway, SC.
Wittkower, D. (October , 2007). Rebellion Against the Construction of User as Consumer by Consumer Electronics Interface Design Paper Society for the Social Studies of Science Annual Meeting Montréal, QC, Canada.
Wittkower, D. (September , 2007). Quine, Hegel, and the Revenge of the Object Keynote/Plenary Address Interactions: Artifacts and Us, Graduate Student Conference Blacksburg, VA.
Wittkower, D. (June , 2007). WMDs and Monadic Conflict: A Technological Phase-Transition in the Hobbesian State of Nature Paper Society for Philosophy and Technology Biennial Meeting Charleston, SC.
Wittkower, D. (April , 2007). A Lockean Critique of Our So-Called “Lockean Intuitions Paper Media in Transition Cambridge, MA.
Wittkower, D. (April , 2007). On Existentialism and Islamism Paper Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting Atlanta, GA.
Wittkower, D. (April , 2000). The Atemporality of the Digital Paper Blue Ridge International Conference on the Humanities and the Arts Boone, NC.
Wittkower, D. (January , 2000). Programming People: Our Ethical Obligation to Technology Paper Eighth East-West Philosophers' Conference Manoa, HI.
  • 2011: 2011 Award for Distinguished Teaching, Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts, Coastal Carolina University
  • 2008: Named a "College faculty member who made your first year at Sweet Briar College special or more memorable", Sweet Briar College class of 2011
  • 1997: Phi Beta Kappa,