Tiger C. Roholt, "Distracted from Meaning: A Philosophy of Smartphones" (Bloomsbury, 2022)
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What is the main focus of Tiger Roholt’s book on smartphone distraction?
Hello and welcome
to the New Books
Network, a podcast channel with the New Books Network. I'm Carrie Figdor, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Iowa. I'm co-host of the channel along with Robert Talese, Sarah Tyson, and Malcolm Keating. Together we bring you conversations with philosophers about their new books in a wide range of areas of contemporary philosophical inquiry. Today's interview is with Tiger Roholt, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Montclair State University. His new book, Distracted from Meaning, A Philosophy of Smartphones, is just out from Bloomsbury Academic. Social scientists have long studied the ways in which smartphone use can distract us from the proper performance of means and tasks, such as driving or medical procedures.
In his book, Rahul discusses a distinct type of distraction. When smartphone use interferes with our active engagement with meaningful experiences, such as dinner with friends or a musical performance or gardening. In these cases, Roholt argues, we risk stunting the experiences that would otherwise give meaning to our lives or even risk missing out on discovering new types of meaningful experiences. Roholt draws on writings from John Dewey, Susan Wolf, Albert Borgman, and others in this engagingly written meditation on how ubiquitous uses of smartphones, and wearable technologies affects our lives in ways that other types of interruptions do not. Let's turn to the interview. Hello, Tiger Reholt. Welcome to New Books and Philosophy.
Thanks for having me,
Carrie. This looks to be a very fun conversation about smartphones or cell phones and technology in general and how it affects our lives. And in particular, how it seems to interrupt us from certain meaning making experiences that we would otherwise have. So distracted from meaning. Right. A philosophy of smartphones. Maybe before we start getting into the book itself, tell us a bit about, you know, you, how you came to write the book, how you came to be interested in the particular topics that you are.
OK, well. Maybe I'll just start with saying something about how I got interested in philosophy because it's, I guess it's not much of a story really, but it's interesting that it's a, maybe it's a somewhat common way that I just had great teachers and it sort of fascinates me looking back that that really did it, that I had great teachers, but also teachers who were Also, really serious philosophers, and I really like that combination. But about the project, it started with many perplexing experiences. For a long while, I was occupied with the way that smartphones and cell phones earlier were being introduced into in-person situations. And so I started to notice... The prevalence of smartphones in, you know, little at a time, in classrooms, in dinners with friends and family, in musical performances and other arts performances, in a play or in stand-up comedy settings, live sporting events, even running and walking.
And I sort of started to think about it and wonder when people, including me, get distracted by their phones in these various in-person situations, I started to wonder what exactly is happening. And then maybe even more importantly, what's at stake and what's the impact of that? I could say a little bit about my other interest in philosophy that sort of shaped my approach, if you like.
Yeah, because you draw on a number of different, you know, traditions here and people that wouldn't, you know, or at least for many analytic philosophers, you know, are, well, except for Susan Wolf, obviously. You know, what sort of conditions your approach to the question you just brought up? Yeah,
it's true. It's true what you say. I am interested in different kinds of philosophy, and I guess I sort of think of myself as having one foot in each tradition, the analytic and the continental, or at least that's how I aspire to be. And so this book, yeah, it does include a range of different philosophers from Susan Wolfe and John Dewey to Albert Borgman and and Hubert Dreyfus and some consideration of Heidegger and phenomenology in general.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main focus of Tiger Roholt’s book on smartphone distraction?
0:00–7:08
2
How does Roholt define the distinct type of distraction that harms meaningful experiences?
7:08–14:27
3
Why does active engagement matter for meaningful activities, according to Dewey?
14:27–20:54
4
What other forms of distraction (e.g., laptops, whispering) does Roholt compare to smartphones?
20:54–29:03
5
How does Susan Wolf’s theory of meaningfulness shape Roholt’s argument?
29:03–37:02
6
What are Albert Borgmann’s ‘focal practices’ and how do they relate to smartphone use?
37:02–44:14
7
Can smartphones function as ‘technological instruments’ rather than disruptive devices?
44:14–51:13
8
What future research or projects does Roholt plan after this book?
51:13–57:30
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