Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
digital objects
digital systems
digitalized systems
ontology
realist theory
A realist theory of digital objects, digital systems, and digitalized systems
🤖 AI Summary
This study addresses the lack of a clear, precise, and unified ontological understanding of digital objects, digital systems, and their socially embedded forms—an absence that hinders both research and governance in information technology. Adopting a realist stance, the work integrates and extends theories from ontology, semantics, and semiotics to develop a theory of digital phenomena that rejects the independent existence of immaterial or hybrid entities. Through rigorous conceptual modeling and philosophical analysis, the proposed framework challenges prevailing discourses, generates empirically testable predictions, and offers a novel theoretical foundation for understanding the design, use, and societal impacts of information technologies at individual, organizational, and social levels, thereby enabling future empirical investigation.
📝 Abstract
As human reliance on information technology (IT) increases, having a clear, precise, and comprehensive understanding of the nature of digital objects, digital systems, and digitalized systems becomes more critical. Otherwise, our ability to research, manage, control, and make reliable predictions about them will be limited. Accordingly, in this paper, we propose a new theory of digital objects, digital systems, and digitalized systems based on the adoption, adaptation, and extension of existing theories of ontology, semantics, and semiotics. The theory provides precise explanations of the nature of digital objects, digital systems, and digitalized systems. Ours is a realist theory that does not countenance the independent existence of nonmaterial or hybrid objects in the world. Accordingly, we are at odds with much of the prevailing discourse about digital phenomena. We show how our theory generates different insights and predictions from this the dominant discourse on the nature of the digital. Our predictions lay the groundwork for further empirical studies on the design, use, and impact of IT on individuals, organizations, and society.
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
digital objects
realist theory
ontology
semiotics
digital systems
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