Surviving the Comprehensive Exam: Digital Phronesis Edition

The joy of preparing for a Comprehensive written exam in a field like digital phronesis is  like trying to hit a moving target while juggling ferrets.

Digital phronesis is all about digital wisdom and ethical decision-making in an ever-evolving tech landscape. Sounds pretty straight forward?   It is a ticket to a never-ending rabbit hole of reading material. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on the latest AI developments. There’s a new book, article, and journal out, and suddenly, you’re back to square one.

Now, imagine balancing this with the philosophical musings of Foucault. On one hand, you’re diving into the ethics of AI and machine learning. On the other, you’re grappling with Foucault’s thoughts on power, knowledge, and society. It’s like being caught in an intellectual tug-of-war, and both sides are winning.

One minute, you’re engrossed in the latest AI breakthroughs, feeling like a tech wizard. The next, you’re buried in Foucault’s texts, questioning the very fabric of reality. It’s an exhilarating, frustrating, and utterly fascinating journey.

And let’s not forget the mental gymnastics of connecting these dots. How does Foucault’s concept of biopower relate to digital governance? Can we apply his ideas about surveillance to modern data privacy concerns? These are the questions that keep me reading - sometimes in circles. 

As the comprehensive exams approach, I’ve had to adopt a “pin it and park it” strategy. You have all this information swirling around in your head, but it’s not quite ready for writing yet. So, you park it for the next paper. I’m beginning to realize that this is what makes the doctoral journey unique – it’s just as much about planning for the next paper as it is about tackling the current one.