Please friends,
Let's talk about design schools and design culture rather than go astray on
related topics. Our list has a long history of arguing about things that
are not in our area -- philosophy, for example.
Before I continue, I would like to express my appreciate for Ken's enormous
intellectual capacity -- he is the engine of this list. Saying that, I
would like to smooth his critics by mentioning that I do not support him
because he is a buddy, but because I see a reason in his ideas. Very often
I might disagree with him on paradigmatic basis, but within his paradigm,
he is both very consistent and though provoking. I feel really guilty that
I didn't expressed my support when two-thirds of the list was assaulting
him. It was very painful for me when Anyway, this is a different topic and
I don't want to go further.
Now, let me resume my central topic. Although Ken feels a bit awkward about
his lines used by David, I will reiterate them and will loudly say that I
support them.
>"Designers are action oriented, and
>the passion that is natural to activists sometimes runs ahead of the
>analytical skill required for philosophical inquiry."
First of all, there is nothing bad to be a designer. Second, it is not
necessary to be a philosopher in order to gain respect in society. Third, I
believe this list is called Ph.D.-Design and this implies that it is for
Ph.D.'s in Design. Forgive me if I am illiterate. I don't see why we,
Ph.D.'s should be ashamed to make a real philosophical discourse on this
list. Where else if not here? On the "Art of Design" list?
I have worked for many years with professional philosophers of science and
practice, and believe me, they strongly disagree with the way designers try
to philosophize. Philosophers perceive this type of thinking activity as
ideologizing. Design theories are nothing more than design ideologies. The
same way designers have their own standards and criteria for designerly
behavior/work and laugh at accountants for being nerdy, philosophers look
at "non-philosophers" as lay people displaying street-wise logic and most
often -- ignorance.
While I was on a payroll controlled by philosophers of science (and
practice), I have to listen to all their verbal abuse of the design
professions and just back off -- they wrote the paychecks.
There is a very big difference in terms of intellectual traditions and
standards regarding how designers think about the world and how
professional philosophers construct their discourse. Design culture and
philosophy culture are very different.
With all due respect and collegiate feelings,
Lubomir Popov
Lubomir Popov, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Interior Design Program
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43403
phone: (419) 372-7935
fax: (419) 372-7854
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