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As Boundaries Fade: The Social Contract in Cyberspace

Horowitz, Steven
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Research project
Date
2006
Advisor
Taylor, Paul C. (Paul Christopher)
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Philosophy
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http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/441
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Livingstone Undergraduate Research Awards
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p15037coll12_1617.pdf
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http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/423
Abstract
For over ten years, scholars have debated over law in cyberspace. Some, the "exceptiona!ists, " argue that cyberspace should develop its own system of laws and regulations. Others, the" unexceptionalists, " argue that real-space territorial law must govern the internet. This paper advocates a new kind of exceptionalism, grounded in an examination of legitimate authority in cyberspace. I use social contract theory to locate two sources of legitimate cyberspace authority: the authority of a real-space sovereign over its citizens and the authority of a cyberspace community formed by a distinct social contract. I argue that, because cyberspace dissolves territorial boundaries, internet users are insecure in their knowledge of political relationships and that cyberspace communities can resolve this incon venience.
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This research project was completed as part of the course, Philosophy (298).
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