Thinking and Doing, Week 1

Notes from today thanks to John O’Shea – cheers, because it’s hard for me to blog while I speak!

Theoretical Foundations 001: Atau Tanaka

Wednesday 7th October 2009

Module handbook

Slides from today’s lecture: why-theory200910.pdf

Housekeeping
- Aims
- Outline of syllabus
- By the end of this module students will…

technological and cultural background
advantages and disadvantages of digital media production methods
not pure positivism

Reading:
New Philosophy for New Media, Mark Hansen
The Language of New Media, Lev Manovich

————————————————————————–

Why Theory?

Draw upon theory – inform practice

- history of theory
- binarisms

- determinism vs. culturalism

What theory?
cultural theory?… scientific theory?…

Theory and practice
- interaction
- community – What characterises a community?
- group of people?… shared goals
- participation – work, system, platform

Way of seeing the world in which appearances are not taken for granted.
- what the nature of ‘something’ might be

terms on which questions are asked
way in which language shape these questions
humans, thinking feeling subjects, intervene in the flow of meaning

deeper questions – not just technologies for own sake

And why Theory?

Approach: work does not exist in isolation vs. romantic notion of artist genius without need for context
Requirement: test of concept, ideas, assumptions, practices and (unconscious) idealogical position (against others)

Theory is a kind of technology?

Open ended (not deterministic)
non-linear, playful modes of enquiry

Cultural Theory

Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences

post-68 phenomenom
- Post-modernism, Post-structuralism
- identity

Materialism vs. Idealism
- can there be a theory of matter?

Some Theories of Technology:

Sherry Turkle (M.I.T. initiative on Technology and Self)
- ‘nonunitary selves’ (critique of modernist unitary self) – ‘distributed self’
- psychoanalysis
- ‘subjective side’ of people’s relationships with technology

Paul Virillio
(Speed and Politics 1977) Velocity : War

- Tech creates speed (Velocity)
- availability of info
- cycle production consumption
- confinement, incarceration
- threatens writer, author (taking time to think)
- technology makes us shallow

Atau “If we just go to Dixons and use up the next memory stick or whatever then there is a risk that technology makes us shallow…”

- paradox – ‘are we everywhere or are we nowhere?’
- globalisation – loss of rights and of democracy
- McLuhan’s global village might be nothing more than a world ghetto

Main tenets (labels) of recent approaches:
(using outmoded cyber ‘from cyborg’)
- celebratory ‘cyber-romantics’
- ambivalent ‘cyber-skeptics’
- Or hostile ‘luddites’ or ‘nostalgics’
cyborg = cyber-netic organism
cybernetics

Questions:

How does digital technology change oue imagination? (of the body?)
What does distributed and distributing technologies do to human agency?
Differing levels of access – new class system? Digital aristocracy?
How do the ways we talk about technology shape the way we use it?  Are we prisoners of our own metaphors?

Scientific Theory

Is it different from cultural theory? Can they co-exist?

Practice Based Research: …finding out… verification… ‘adding to the body of knowledge’… process (method)

Theory becomes a form of Practice

Objective?
Facts? Truth?

not influenced by personal feelings

Subjective?
emotion, intuition, feeling, self

dependent on individual perception

boundaries blurry

Scientific Process/Method – Proof
Evidence
- hypothesis – operating principle
- observed phenomena
- empirical (internal logic)
- measurable

Experimental Reasoning
- reproducible

Steps:
- observing natural state
- perturbing status quo
- re-observing result (causal)

Isolation?

Descartes – “Discourse on Method” (1637)
- perception is unreliable, deduction as a method
- skepticism of ‘external world’
- mind/body dualism

Own experience –> what do you see
Conjecture —> hazard an explanation
Predict —> consequences of perturbation
Test —> Is your prediction confirmed?

Hypothesis – Theory – Proof

(In science) Theory = testable model which supports experiment in theory?

Atau “Can’t solve all of the world’s problems with single theory…”

In practical (making) terms:
approach compartmentalise problems and build different working modules

Scientific method does not involve feelings so… Is Theory Fact?
Is ‘objective’ = ‘truth’?

Testing to disprove.
If a theory can be proven it can be disproven…

All theories are just a PROPOSAL of HOW THE WORLD WORKS

Science is not FACTUAL

PROCESS open to other interpretations

OBJECTIVITY can be open and open-ended

Scientific theory can seem dry BUT:
- very useful in technology development
- ways we observe people (users)

Published on October 7, 2009 11:07 pm.
Filed under: Doing, Thinking

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Thinking 1 – Applied Philosophy: Philosophy of Technology 1/2

Applied Philosophy: Philosophy of Technology 1

  • Introduction to Phenomenology
  • Martin Heidegger and the Tool
  • Concept of Embodiment and Immersion

Applied Philosophy: Philosophy of Technology 1
Reading Material: Martin Heidegger: Being and Time

Applied Philosophy: Philosophy of Technology 2

  • Don Ihde’s Experimental Phenomenology
  • Paul Dourish’ Embodied Interaction
  • Concept of Embodiment /Disembodiment and Immersion




Philosophy of Technology 2: Embodiment, Disembodiment and Immersion

Published on February 16, 2012 4:21 am.
Filed under: Thinking Tags: , ,

Thinking 2 – The Philosophy of Experience: Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s approach to consciousness and embodiement



The Philosophy of Experience

  • Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s approach to consciousness and embodiement

Reading Material: Page 3-12 http://www.scribd.com/doc/4877219/M-MerleauPonty-Phenomenology-of-Perception

PDF Document of the Presentation – Maurice Merleau-Ponty_15Feb12

Published on February 16, 2012 2:29 am.
Filed under: Thinking Tags:

Processing – 2 – More Programming (Tom Schofield), 16/2/11

This week we continue with some programming fundamentals namely:

  • arrays and array lists
  • “for” loops
  • functions and scope
  • classes
  • libraries

Aims and Objectives

This session is once again designed to be as “ground up” as possible within the restraints of time. We will focus more on the tricky bits that are likely to trip people up when working alone. Although it’s really tempting to jump straight in and start working with images, text, movies or libraries my intention is to try and get people towards the stage where they will be better equipped to use processing more creatively/independently.

Arrays and array lists

//ArrayExample

Arrays are a way of storing sets or lists of data of any type. They have a finite size which you can find by adding .length to the end of your variable like this:

println(myArray.length);

The reference number which tells you which part of the array (element) we are looking at is the index which you can find between square brackets:

in myArray[5] the “5″ refers to the 6th element in the array because arrays start at zero which can be confusing!

For loops – (iteration) Details »

Published on February 8, 2012 7:09 pm.
Filed under: Doing

THINKING – 23/11/11 – Introduction to the Philosophy of Human Experience

Art & Science 1: What is Consciousness?

  • Introduction into the philosophical and scientific concept of cognition
  • Descartes, Body-Mind problem
  • Cognitive Sciences, Scientific Methods



Reading: Susan Blackmore – Consciousness: An Introduction 2003



More info: http://www.susanblackmore.co.uk/Books/Consciousness/cons.htm

 

Published on November 29, 2011 3:50 pm.
Filed under: Thinking

THINKING – 26/10/11 – The History of Interactivity I

“The History of Interactivity I” session will explore the concept of “interaction” and how this has been transformed by the applications of modern technology. We look into artistic and design applications of interfaces and discuss the current states of digital media and emerging technologies. We will talk about the human-technology interrelationship and compare that with the artwork-spectator relationship.The session will provide a comprehensive overview of pioneering scientists and artist working in the field of interactive art and interface design.


The History of Interaction 1

Readings:

 


Published on October 27, 2011 9:39 am.
Filed under: Thinking Tags:

DOING – 01/11/11 – Sensors (Inputs) and Actuators (Outputs)

Housekeeping

  • Results from your sensor walk assignments
  • Questions from Arduino assignments – anything you’d like to show us, talk about?  You should have…

Rationale

Today will be a quite practical session – looking at the input and output options for your Arduino systems.  We’ll also go through some tips and trips for programming with Arduino.

From Last Week

  • Go through the Arduino_SecondExamples.zip – what’s going on in there…
  • We’ll develop a few more practical examples in class

Details »

Published on October 19, 2011 12:53 pm.
Filed under: Doing

DOING – 19/10/11 – Intro to Electronics and Microcontrollers

Housekeeping

Rationale

Today we’ll look at what is happening underneath the hood of the Arduino a little – how it represents and processes “the world.”

As well, we’ll look at some further elements you should know about for control of and measurement in your projects.

From Last Week

  • What is happening when we ask the Arduino to ‘blink’?
  • Analog = Analogous
    • Hold hands!
    • The squeezing of a hand… –> Drawing on the board
    • What are the characteristics of this (instantaneous/atemporal, subjective)?
  • More than one link in the chain…
    • Transferring a signal between more than one person
    • What about long distances (or even short distances accurately)?
    • What would be a better way to do this?What are the characteristics of this (synchronous, memory based, objective)?

Details »

Published on October 19, 2011 10:10 am.
Filed under: Doing

DOING – 05/10/11 – This Thing We Call Technology

Housekeeping

Rationale

So. This class iis about creative reflections on technology, and using technology. We’re not necessarily always interested in the ‘right way’ to do things, in terms of commercial production, or how the manual tells you to use software, etc. We are, however, interested in looking critically at tools, their use, and the assumptions and values they embody.

Most generally – the approach we’ll take in this class is about establishing a playful relationship with technology. Something akin to playing with physical materials – an outlook that speaks of having some understanding of the fact that there is no technical difference between the ‘digital’ and ‘analog’… It’s all the same damn world, the same “reality.”

Details »

Published on October 5, 2011 11:59 am.
Filed under: Doing

DOING – 11/05/11 – Max MSP 2

Hello,

FIRSTLY: THE THEME FOR THE SUBMISSION IS ‘FRAGMENTATION‘

Today we had a look at Jitter – the video part of max. This hopefully brings out some of the sublime fun you can have when you are treating everything as data, and interconnecting audio, math and video processes. Max MSP is particularly good for this kind of thing, giving you an environment where you can improvise + explore this interconnectedness.

Here is a bundle of patches, with instructions + explanations:

http://www.mediafire.com/?dldq4olh57jqbv3

Adam

Published on May 13, 2011 9:37 am.
Filed under: LEP

DOING – 27/04/11 – Introduction to Max MSP

We had a look at some of the basic principles of Max MSP and Pure Data

*Max MSP and Pure Data are both based on the ‘Max’ paradigm developed by Miller Puckette at Ircam in the 1980s. Both are very similar: Max can be visually more accessible, and a little more user friendly, but unlike Pure Data you have to pay for it. There are some different ‘objects’ and approaches in each, but nothing too significant: if you learn one, you’ll be able to figure out the other.

*Both are (almost) ‘object oriented’ programming languages. Objects are basically little boxes that do a job, and we connect objects together with patch cords. Objects communicate to each other with messages.

Here is a small bundle of simple Max patches with some instructions in the comments:

http://www.mediafire.com/?v92fmved0937kpc

If you don’t know what an object does, look at it’s help files (shift-cmd-h). In the help file, if you click ‘open reference’ at the top of the window, you’ll find out what messages and arguments the object takes. Also take a look at the tutorials if you can.

Published on May 3, 2011 12:35 pm.
Filed under: LEP

THINKING 4 – 23/03/11 – Art & Science 2: The Philosophy and Science of Experience



Art & Science 2: The Philosophy and Science of Experience

  • Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s approach to consciousness and embodiement

Reading Material: Page 3-12 http://www.scribd.com/doc/4877219/M-MerleauPonty-Phenomenology-of-Perception

Published on March 24, 2011 12:37 am.
Filed under: Thinking Tags: ,

THINKING 3 – 09/03/11 – What is Consciousness? Consciousness Studies and Applied Philosophy

Art & Science 1: What is Consciousness? (Atau/Brigitta)

  • Introduction into the philosophical and scientific concept of cognition
  • Descartes, Body-Mind problem
  • Cognitive Sciences, Scientific Methods



Reading: Susan Blackmore – Consciousness: An Introduction 2003



More info: http://www.susanblackmore.co.uk/Books/Consciousness/cons.htm

 

Published on March 14, 2011 12:41 am.
Filed under: Thinking

Processing – 1 – Intro to Programming (Tom Schofield), 2/2/11

Intro to Processing
Rationale

Today we shift focus to a kind of programming paradigm that uses a much more typical for of computer graphics control. We’ll look at the basics of procedural control, and the way that the drawing ‘engine’ inside processing interprets these controls. Some of this will be familiar (BUT DIFFERENT) to experience you have of Arduino coding from last term. Details »

Published on February 2, 2011 2:01 pm.
Filed under: Thinking

THINKING 6 – 15/12/10 – Umberto Eco’s Openess and Interactive Art & Design/ Aesthetics/ Semantics



Published on January 12, 2011 2:49 am.
Filed under: Thinking

THINKING 5 – 01/12/10 – Applied Philosophy: Philosophy of Technology 2

Applied Philosophy: Philosophy of Technology 2

  • Don Ihde’s Experimental Phenomenology
  • Paul Dourish’ Embodied Interaction
  • Concept of Embodiment /Disembodiment and Immersion




Philosophy of Technology 2: Embodiment, Disembodiment and Immersion Details »

Published on December 2, 2010 1:34 am.
Filed under: Thinking

THINKING 4 – 24/11/10 – Applied Philosophy: Philosophy of Technology 1

Applied Philosophy: Philosophy of Technology 1

  • Introduction to Phenomenology
  • Martin Heidegger and the Tool
  • Concept of Embodiment and Immersion

Applied Philosophy: Philosophy of Technology 1
Reading Material: Martin Heidegger: Being and Time

Published on November 28, 2010 8:44 pm.
Filed under: Thinking

DOING 4 – 24/11/10 (with Tom Schofield) – Arduino into Software, A First Look

Housekeeping

  • Review projects from Lalya’s pound store challenge

Rationale: This week will look at basic Processing scripts… for getting a single piece, then more than one piece of info into and out of Processing. We will also have a bit of background about communication protocols and how different ones work. Details »

Published on November 24, 2010 1:30 pm.
Filed under: Doing

DOING 3 – 10/11/10 (with Lalya Gaye) – DIY and Prototyping

Housekeeping

  • Assignments from previous week
  • Prior readings: “What Do Prototypes Prototype?” – Stephanie Houde and Charles Hill [PDF]
    “Experience Prototyping” – Marion Buchenau and Jane Fulton Suri [PDF]
  • Bring scrap from your local 1-Pound shop (do not spend more than £3!) Details »

Published on November 10, 2010 1:00 pm.
Filed under: Doing

THINKING 2 – 27/10/10 – Open Source Culture & Transdisciplinary Practice

This session explored the impact and the potentials of the creative transformation of the open source initiative and how the open source culture might introduce new types of creative practices, artists and collaborative communities. See the sessions’ slides below:
Open Source Culture and Transdisciplinary Practice

Media Art Dynamic Archive: MediaArtTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MediaArtTube

Published on November 7, 2010 8:54 pm.
Filed under: Thinking

THINKING 1 – 06/10/10

- An introduction of the sessions as they are planned
- Going over the Module Handbook

-”Why Theory” and the different meanings of the words theory and research in different domains relevant to us

WhyTheory061010.pdf

- Reading:
Lev Manovich, “The Language of New Media”. MIT Press. 1999
http://www.manovich.net/LNM/

PDF version available on his own website
http://www.manovich.net/LNM/Manovich.pdf

pp. 43-44 “What is New Media?”
pp. 49-65 “Principles of New Media”

Published on November 3, 2010 3:43 pm.
Filed under: Thinking Tags: