Understanding the Digital Transformation

This paper introduces the phenomenon of possible 'gradual disruptions' in quickly ongoing digitalization. This type of disruption does, in contrast to the familiar meaning of 'disruption', not occur unexpectedly and suddenly, but builds up gradually over longer timespans. Finally only, the sudden disruption of familiar constellations may lead to damage. The digital transformation, so my thesis, increases both the possibility and the risk of gradual disruption. As an example, the dependency of society and humankind in total on functioning digital technology infrastructures steadily increases. Hence, societies become gradually more vulnerable. Total dependencies are latent disruptions: high damage will occur in the case of the breakdown of the infrastructures. Gradual disruptions, however, are difficult to detect because of their slow emergence. Philosophy can contribute to early recognition in epistemic, ethical, pragmatic, and communicative dimensions.