Abstract
Our paper explores the relationship between knowledge and power first articulated in the modern age by Francis Bacon, in terms of M. Foucault's postmodern critique of Power/Knowledge that seems to reverse the meaning of Bacon's “knowledge is power” maxim. We apply Foucault's critique to instructional technology concentrating especially on hypermedia. We remark on the many similarities between Foucault's postmodern critique and the concerns of Theodore Nelson who coined the words “hypertext” and “hypermedia.” We will combine Foucault's Nietzschian insights with Nelson's characterization of “the Information Lords” to conclude with the following postmodern questions: Who makes the categories and constraints that are translated into truth and power? Is God dead, and if so, who will become the Information Lord?
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bacon, F. & Anderson, F. H.: 1960,The New Organon, The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., Indianapolis.
Bush Report, or United States Office of Scientific Research and Development: 1945, 1980, ‘Science the endless frontier: A report to the president for a program for postwar scientific research’. Reprinted as part of the thirteenth anniversary observation of the National Science Foundation 1950–1980.
Bush V.: 1949, 1968,Modern Arms and Free Men: A Discussion of the Role of Science in Preserving Democracy, MIT Press, Cambridge.
Bush V.: July 1945, ’As We May Think’,The Atlantic Monthly.
Davies, I. K.: 1976,Objectives in Curriculum Design, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Di Vesta, F. J. & Rieber, L. J.: 1987, ‘Characteristics of Cognitive Engineering: The Next Generation of Instructional Systems’,Educational Communications and Technology Journal 35, 213–230.
Foucault, M.: 1970,The Order of Things, Vintage Books, New York.
Foucault, M.: 1977,Discipline and Punish, Vintage, London.
Foucault, M.: 1980,Power/Knowledge, Pantheon Books, New York.
Fraase, M.: 1990,MacIntosh Hypermedia, Scott, Foresman and Company, Glenview, IL.
Gagne', R. M.: 1984,The Conditions of Learning (4th ed.), Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York.
Garrison, J. W.: 1986, ‘Same Principles of Postpositivistic Philosophy of Science’,Educational Researcher 15, 9.
Halasz, F. G.: 1988, ‘Reflections of Notecards: Seven Issues for the Next Generation of Hypermedia System’,Communication of the ACM 31(7), 836–852.
Jonassen, D. H.: 1988, ‘Mindtools; Potential New Liberating Forces’,Educational Technology 28(12), 33–34.
Jonassen, D. H.: 1990, ‘Hypertext as Instructional Design’,Educational Technology Research and Development 39(1), 82–92.
Nelson, T. H.: 1981,Literary Machines, The Author, Swarthmore, PA.
Nelson, T.: 1987a,Literary Machines, Electronic edition, OWL International, Inc., Bellevere, Washington.
Nelson, T.: 1987b,Dream Machines, rev. ed., Redmond, Tempus Books of Microsoft Press, Washington.
Nelson, T.: 1988a, ‘To Strike the Lightening’,HyperAge.
Nelson, T.: 1988b, ‘The Call of the Ocean: Hypertext Universal and Open’,HyperAge.
Nietzsche, F.: 1901, 1967,The Will and Power, Vintage Books, New York.
Pask, G.: 1976,Conversation Theory: A Cybernetic Theory and Methodology, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Provenzo, E., Jr.: 1986,Beyond the Gutenberg Galaxy, Teachers College Press, New York.
Reigeluth, C. M., & Stein, F.: 1983, ‘The Elaboration Theory of Instruction’, in C. M. Reigeluth (ed.),Instructional Design Theories and Models: A Current View of the State of the Art, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ.
Suppes, Patrick: September 1986, ‘The Use of Computers in Education’,Scientific American, pp. 206–220.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Garrison, J.W., Burton, J.K. Knowledge, power, and hypermedia. Int J Technol Des Educ 5, 69–87 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00763653
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00763653