Interesting.... I've been considering the categories "art" and "design" in relation to doubt and optimism. In much of contemporary practice design leans toward the pro-position while much neo-avant-garde theory based art pulls back in the other direction. Take Green Design for example - it has been pitched as the thing to save us from ourselves. This relies on a massive dose of optimism - no need to cut back on production and marketing, simply change the materials and sell sell sell. On the other hand we have massive doubt represented in art-design publications such as Adbusters that argues for an end to (mass) production of almost everything.
The whole concept that "I" might have "False Consciousness" relies on philosophic doubt, and thus is going to be anathema to most production designers. Do you think design will ever fully embrace doubt as part of its process? If not design will never allow for a consideration of false consciousness.
Alan Murdock
I can draw a bath
draw a tooth
but so far I cannot draw a truth
from the mouth of the lion
of disagreement
"educt" means "to draw forward" as for example happens when we are able to draw water to follow a path drawn forward in the soil with a stick
the Platonic dialogue is such a discourse - the Socratic one is almost eductive - it retains the torpedo-fish effect of paradoxical disagreement which is abductive without letup.
Plato looks for a hypo-theme or hypothesis - he draws the argument forward thru the hazarding of a proposition.
So yes, much can be drawn if we are willing to hazard a pro-position.
enjoy
keith russell
OZ newcastle
>>> GK VanPatter <[log in to unmask]> 10/02/03 23:16 PM >>>
Can anyone draw a picture of the process (not content) being used in this
conversation?
Can anyone draw a picture of why there is confusion in this conversation?
Can anyone see parallels to conversations at work, at school?
Gk VanPatter
NextDesign Leadership Institute
New York
NextD
Who will lead design in the 21st century?
http://nextd.org
> From: Michael A R Biggs <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Michael A R Biggs <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 13:35:02 +0100
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: False Consciousness, etc. -- Response to Michael Biggs
>
> OK, but I hope I communicated my concern that you seemed to be putting
> yourself in an exposed position by attempting to scope the problem. I still
> do not regard that as necessary. Mapping the scope achieved by the
> participants onto the scope of the literature would be interesting, but a
> large task.
>
> best wishes
> Michael
>
> At 10:37 02/10/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>> Dear Michael,
>>
>> Your note asks a question about my summary: "Is there a reason why
>> the only references are to earlier correspondents?"
>>
>> There is.
>>
>> I am trying to state the questions apparent here in our discussion
>> rather than review the literature. This does not prevent referring to
>> the extensive literature on false consciousness, contradiction, and
>> self-deception. It involves restating and examining the conversation
>> on this list.
>>
>> Several of us have referred to the literature. I have cited
>> Kierkegaard, Becker, and Freud on false consciousness, and discussed
>> Argyris and Schon on reflective practice and organizational learning
>> in terms of design learning.
>>
>> It is important to clarify our thoughts and the way we understand and
>> apply ideas. When the thread recurred several times, I decided to
>> summarize the various issues and questions to see where an inquiry
>> might lead.
>>
>> One feature of a literature review would be helpful in the
>> discussion. In addition to noting the external sources, it helps to
>> summarize what the cited authors say and explain how their views
>> apply here. I have done this for Kierkegaard to some degree, as Keith
>> Russell has done for Sartre. I also related Argyris and Schon relate
>> to the thread without developing the comment fully. In contrast, I
>> have merely noted that issues are considered in Becker and Freud, and
>> in others, such as Goffman, Damasio, Lakoff, and Johnson. Perhaps I
>> should have discussed their views.
>>
>> When I have completed a summary of questions, I hope to return to the
>> issues and perhaps to some of the scholars who have addressed them.
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Ken
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -snip-
>>
>> I am curious about the course this discussion has taken.
>>
>> While I admire Ken's ability to analyze and summarize the threads
>> that occur on this list, I feel that the present summary risks
>> contradicting our other [implicit] approaches to research. A lot of
>> work is in the public domain in the fields of the philosophy of
>> psychology and psychology, on false consciousness. When such work is
>> available we usually encourage referencing rather than thinking the
>> matter through from scratch. Ken's admirable summary seems like the
>> sort of thing that would be useful if there were no work in the
>> public domain on this subject.
>>
>> I have already suggested Fingarette. I could also suggest
>> Wittgenstein (on the ability to know one's internal states), and I
>> think others have already cited Kierkegaard and Sartre.
>>
>> May I add that I think the subject is very relevant for anyone
>> seeking to validate reflective practice as a research method.
>>
>> -snip-
>>
>> --
>>
>> Ken Friedman, Ph.D.
>> Associate Professor of Leadership and Strategic Design
>> Department of Leadership and Organization
>> Norwegian School of Management
>>
>> Visiting Professor
>> Advanced Research Institute
>> Faculty of Art, Media, and Design
>> Staffordshire University
>
> ************************************************************
> Dr Michael A R Biggs
> Associate Dean (Research)
> Reader in Visual Communication
>
> Faculty of Art and Design, University of Hertfordshire
> College Lane, Hatfield, Herts. AL10 9AB
> United Kingdom
>
> Telephone +44 (0)1707 285341
> Fax +44 (0)1707 285350
> E-mail [log in to unmask]
> Internet http://www.herts.ac.uk/artdes/research/creac/html/intrombiggs.html
>
> Coordinator of the Centre for Research into Practice
> http://www.herts.ac.uk/artdes/research/cr2p/index.htm
>
> ************************************************************
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