notes ← JK

Philosophical Basis

Nov

12

2012

I’m trying to clarify the exact philosophical ideas that I want to form the basis for my thesis. I’ve done some reading over the weekend on the thinkers that deal with the topic of subject/object relationships and have extracted the points that resonate most with me. Here’s how I’ve divided up the ideas into each ...

Embodied Artifacts: Memory, Nostalgia and Mid-Century Objects

Nov

4

2012

This thesis project by Nicola Waugh is a great precedent for me in the domain of nostalgia + objects: Embodied Artifacts: Memory, Nostalgia and Mid-Century Objects from Nicola Waugh on Vimeo. Notes: post-war technology was about optimism; about bettering the American experience grandma’s kitchen = comfortable space imagined memories vs. lived memories high-quality products vs. ...

All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace (3/3)

Oct

23

2012

This is the last episode in a series of documentaries by Adam Curtis. It focus on the idea of humans being machines. Adam Curtis – All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace 3/3 – The Monkey in the Machine and the Machine in the Monkey – Subs from avefenix1954 on Vimeo. Notes: Humans are ...

Mind Map

Oct

22

2012

This mind map shows the concepts that I’ve been researching and thinking about so far. Many of these facets are related in interesting ways… I’m trying to curate them into a thesis project that best describes my perspective on the human relationship with things/technology.

Midterm Review

Oct

22

2012

Notes from my review and thoughts from our guest critics: “Dumb objects” are objects in and of themselves Connected vs. plugged in Started of my presentation was about the poetry of objects but ended up in a place about gadgetry Answering machines idea is not as emotional as the alarm clock I ended up in ...

Howard Odum’s Ecological Modeling

Oct

18

2012

Adam Curtis’ documentary series “All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace” mentioned the work of Howard Odum. Odum was an ecologist who is known for making analogies between ecosystems and electrical, mechanical, acoustical, magnetic and electronic systems. I’m interested in the analogy Odum made between ecosystems and Ohm’s law. Odum set up analogies between ...

All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace (2/3)

Oct

16

2012

I’ve been watching these Adam Curtis documentaries for inspiration. They’ve been really thought provoking and given me an interesting perspective on the relationship between humans an machines throughout history. I didn’t take notes during the first episode, but I started jotting things down during the second one. See below: Adam Curtis – All Watched Over ...

Digital Sensors, Analog Sensors, & Radio Frequency

Oct

5

2012

Thanks for the amazing tutorial/breakdown on this stuff, Joe Saavedra! An object that has an input (factor, interaction, pollutant, sensed thing) and an output (sound, light, data, kinetic movement, color). Digital vs Analog Analog Sensors Mercury Thermometer Button Any switch Potentiometers Analog Tilt switch — the ball rolls and happens to connect to ...

Phenomenological Approaches to Ethics and Information Technology

Oct

5

2012

While doing my research paper, I uncovered a bunch of other resources that I think will shape my thesis. Right now I’m really interested in the philosophical perspective on technology/human relationships. I found a paper on the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy that outlines the thoughts on philosopher Don Ihde on this topic. This paper ...

As We May Think

Sep

27

2012

“As We May Think” by Vannevar Bush This article was published in The Atlantic magazine in 1945. The author proposes ways that scientists can turn their attention to “the massive task of making more accessible our bewildering store of knowledge.” He calls for the development of tools that are an extension of the mind rather ...

The Inmates are Running the Asylum

Sep

25

2012

The Inmates Are Running the Asylum: Why High Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How to Restore the Sanity by Alan Cooper – – – Notes: Part 1 Ch. 1 computers are dumb, and they turn otherwise easy-to-use objects into dumb objects that malfunction “it is far ...

Internet of Things Comic Book

Sep

24

2012

“[IoT] heralds the onset of a new paradigm for the relationship between human beings and objects.” (2) In 2008, the number of internet-connected devices exceeded the number of people on Earth (when only 8 years prior, there were a mere 500 million internet-connected devices). (2) “the object is at the same time a communication channel ...