The Subject–Object Relationship in the Humanities: the impact of New Technologies

Abstract

This article examines the subject–object relationship within the field of the Humanities considering the transformations generated by new information and communication technologies. It assumes that contemporary society is characterized by environments marked by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, as described by analytical frameworks such as VUCA, BANI, RUPT, and TUNA. Within this context, the study investigates how digital platforms, mobile devices, and algorithmic systems influence the construction of subjectivity, the circulation of knowledge, and the reorganization of social relations. The discussion draws upon contributions from anthropology, philosophy, sociology, psychology, ethology, and epistemology, engaging with authors such as Bauman, Foucault, Han, Proctor, Oreskes, and Skinner. Special attention is given to the concept of agnotology as a theoretical framework for understanding the deliberate production of ignorance in digitally mediated informational environments. The article argues that contemporary communication processes not only expand access to information but also operate as mechanisms of symbolic control, cognitive modulation, and disputes over truth. It concludes that understanding the contemporary subject requires interdisciplinary approaches capable of simultaneously addressing the ontological, epistemological, and socio-technical dimensions that shape human experience in the digital age.