Internet as a New Space for Life: Phenomenological View

AbstractThis article presents a phenomenological research of internet-addictivity. Internet-addictivity is understood as a human's feature in modern society which means perception of the world of the Internet as a field of finite values, not less important than daily occurrence. Here we are trying to overcome medical discourse in relation to this feature by using phenomenological alternative. The article shows some of the results of conducted empirical study, which allowed to create 2 polar ideal-typical constructions – internet-addictivity and non-addictivity. With internet-addictivity Internet is used principally value-rationally. Internet conducts to the creation of the “We-group”, the shortage of which is possible in daily life. In the plans for the future there is nothing connected with family; freedom has a special value. Internet-addictivity is characterized by presence of experiences and emotions about the Internet, which are not weaker than in everyday life. For non-addictiveness is typical understanding of the Internet as a secondary reality, or, in the extreme case, as a way, as a tool, not as a separate world