Changes [Apr 01, 2008]
Ten Things 2007: Pe...The overall aim is to address some abstract and theoretical questions concerning the process of design, and in particular the interrelation of science and technology in making and consuming goods.
The course will develop an argument against ethics - notions of value, interest and social responsibility - being the bridge between science, technology and society.
Radical rethinking of the usual connections between science, technology and society is required!
The course argues for a particular understanding of the relationship between people and things that incorporates conventional understanding of the social and cultural aspects of science and technology. Close empirical scrutiny of the design of these ten things suggests an abandonment of some cherished distinctions, such as reason and desire, science and art, nature and culture, material and value. Instead we consider how things work to hold together society. Design is a process of "heterogeneous engineering" that implicates active non-human forms and agents, subsuming these kinds of common distinctions and understandings.
The argument is captured somewhat in the aphorism "making things makes people".
The argument is captured in the notion that an artifact is far from a discrete thing, but "gathers" relationships and forges connections between disparate and heterogeneous phenomena, forms and experiences.
But the argument is not held in the abstract - the course explores design methodologies and transdisciplinary strategies that work with these dynamic interconnections between fields normally kept separate.
Another argument of the course is that a broad and comparative view of the history of design needs to be at the core of our understanding of the connections between science/reason, technology and society and culture. We need a big picture and long term view to understand trends and issues and to develop methods and concepts for tackling questions and problems raised by contemporary science and technological development.
This accounts for the anthropological and archaeological component of the course - the only basis for such a broad big picture.
The assignment is to prepare a design portfolio on any artifact, contemporary or historical.
The objective is to unpack the working of the artifact, track it through conception, design and consumption, to make manifest the stories and scenarios held within the association of material, technology, use.
The "portfolio" may take any digital form - a dossier of discrete items, visual and/or textual, one or more narratives, an analytical model, or whatever is considered appropriate means of manifesting the connections between reason, technology and culture.
For some previous projects - Project topics - 2006 : Project topics - 2005.
Assignment length will be decided according to the simple formula that one unit of credit represents approximately 1500 words of research essay.
Plan and initial proposal to be submitted digitally by February 1.
Last lecture Thursday March 15.
Final version of project to be submitted digitally by 4.00pm Friday March 23.
