麦克卢汉媒介理论的基本立场或方法可以被恰当地称为“媒介存在论”，在麦克卢汉看来媒介并不是主体间或主体与客体之间传递信息的中性管道，而正是媒介构成了自然和人性。媒介或者说技术是人的延伸，人们在媒介技术中能够看见自己的映像，反思媒介亦是反思人性。麦克卢汉把人性问题从一个形而上学的玄思问题，转变成了一个媒介史的问题。

The basic stance or method of McLuhan’s media theory can be properly called "media ontology". In McLuhan's view, media are not neutral pipes to pass information between subjects and objects. Precisely, media constitutes the nature and humanity.Media or technologies are extensions of the human body. We are able to find our own image in the media technology. A re?ection on the media is also a re?ection on human nature. McLuhan turns the issues of human nature from metaphysical thoughts to media historical topics.