From media literacy to media philosophy: western thought of the XXth–XXIst centuries on life in the information society

The problem of media literacy development, which is relevant for modern media studies, is considered in the context of the evolution of Western socio-humanitarian, including philosophical, thought of the last century. It is shown that the problem of the relationship between man and the world of information throughout this time has been of interest to authors who wrote not only about the media and their role in modern society, but also about the fundamental principles of human existence in a situation of crisis of individual and social identity. It is concluded that the relationship between man and society with the world of information and the media can be described by two models of media behavior. The first model assumes a low level of subjectivity of information recipients and, accordingly, their dependence on the policy pursued by the media. The second model describes a community with a high level of media literacy and therefore less susceptible to manipulative technologies of the media. It is noted that raising the level of knowledge about the media to the status of a section of philosophy, media philosophy, nevertheless leaves unchanged the main purpose of this new science, that is supporting and developing media literacy.