Too Big to Know

“The Network of Knowledge”

Until the arrival of the digital age, most people accepted a standard system of knowledge. Students studied subjects, earned credentials to prove their proficiency and became experts. Then they put their knowledge to work conducting research and writing books and articles to share their findings and conclusions. Other specialists vetted their work and deemed it accurate or mistaken. As new discoveries gained acceptance, they joined a body of established knowledge that provided a foundation for further exploration and learning. Throughout history, this system relied on paper to communicate, until the introduction of digital media changed everything. The mere abundance of online information makes it difficult to discern what is true and what is false.

As digital media test beliefs about knowledge, institutions such as universities, libraries and science labs must rethink knowledge’s infrastructure. Questioning long-held assumptions raises fears. These fears manifest as warnings about the Internet, such as “Google is making us stupid,” or “the web gives every nut a platform.” Even as people voice these fears, science moves forward at an unprecedented...