Dear Ken, Klaus, Chuck, Erik, Ranjan, & Co.
Re: Enjoying thread. Some added thoughts.
For the same reasons and writings as Erik states, I've thought the preferred
stance (read: my preference), at least the primary position, needed to be IN
our models and not looking AT them, and the challenge was to explore our
awareness of that inness and what that means for design theory - in our
models, in our language, thinking through our visual and verbal concepts,
our different situations and repertoires, and openly and admittedly being
clear that we were regarding others from our own point of view.
Can we stand in two positions at once? I think I stand in one and try to
appreciate the perspective and advantages of the other(s), the bi-product of
what I'll call my conclusions-of the-middle-distance and an unwillingness to
get locked into choosing a final vocabulary. Maybe later.
The more objective and foundational stance, doesn't seem all wrong to me,
just less objective than earlier expectations. If not true and not
completely certain, it has certainly proven itself as a powerful strategy,
and the knowledge generated is needed in designing.
That's why I tend to have reservations about the epistemological tests that
Terry describes, without even knowing more about what they might include. A
good review of what we're all doing will probably reveal (has already
revealed?) enough distinct ontological and epistemological differences to
make definitive comparisons difficult, putting off the unicorn of an
unambiguous, universal description. Did any of this present discussion show
up in the papers, discussions or conversations at Common Ground?
Is there a short answer to what that common ground turned out to be?
Regards to all,
Jerry
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Jerry Diethelm
Architect - Landscape Architect
Planning & Urban Design Consultant
Prof. Emeritus of Landscape Architecture
and Public Service € University of Oregon
2652 Agate St., Eugene, OR 97403
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