No unity of time, place and action

In the variety of cultures humankind has developed many strategies for assessing the truth. Many are based on the unity of time, place, action and presence of another person. To marry, to buy a house, to have an alibi when accused of a crime, are all set in one unity of time, place and action, with another person present. Our judicial and social systems are based upon this, as was discussed in chapter 2. Technology, which mediates presence, seems to be a mediator of trust as well. How does it deal with this separation of the unity of time, place, and action? At the GHP we solved the problem by using 'networks of trust' between people and by inventing social interfaces in our stage design. Since the Internet has grown exponentially, and mediated communication has become part of vital processes in day-to-day life, this mediating of trust by technology has become an issue of greater and greater importance. Also, the confusion between trust in a person or an organization and the trust in technology has become more profound.

CN