The Evolution of Selfhood in the Digital Era: Philosophical Reflections on Identity, Authenticity and Technology-Mediated Human Experience

Abstract

This paper examines the transformation of selfhood in the digital era, investigating how identity, authenticity, and subjective experience are shaped by social media, neurotechnology and digital platforms. Moving beyond classical notions of a stable, coherent self, it engages postmodern and critical frameworks that emphasize fluidity, fragmentation and performativity in digitally mediated existence. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship from philosophy, social theory and technology studies, the study examines the ethical, psychological and existential implications of digital selfhood. By synthesizing theoretical perspectives with contemporary technological developments, the paper illuminates how digital environments reconfigure agency, subjectivity and human experience, offering a critical account of the challenges and opportunities inherent in identity formation in the 21st century.