The greatest parasite of the modern age is no blood-sucking invertebrate. It is sleek, glass-fronted and addictive by design.

At 30, I reluctantly bought a smartphone once life with my flip phone became too difficult. Now that I text so much and use social-media apps, I have less to talk to friends about in person.

Brown is the Director of the Centre for Philosophy of the Sciences and an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Australian ...