Harold said:
"Design is a stance I believe, an approach to the human condition just
as science, religion or politics are, and not a discipline."
Derek replied:
I like that notion of design as a stance. I'm going to think about. it
I'm delighted that the concept of "design stance" has been introduced
to the list:
We owe the terms to Daniel Dennett, the American Philosopher. He
defined “Design stance” as behavior in which
one predicts that an entity is designed as they suppose it to be and
will operate according
to that design. (1) I have adapted his broader philosophical system
based on interpreting things from an "intentional stance" as the
motivating orientation focusing all modes of purposeful thought, and
design thinking in particular. I believe that the design stance is
primarily a way of focusing intentional thought and action to produce
meaningful and appropriate expressions, artifacts or behaviors
relevant to intentional goals regarding a situation or context of
concern. Formulating an appropriate proposal, message, or artifact
regarding a focal situation requires a "design stance" regarding the
situation. However, the products of other intentional modes must be
interpreted, synthesized and expressed and synthesized subject to a
Formative intent within a broader framework of intentional
considerations. Both Dennett's system of distinctions and those
particular to design thinking are discussed in the papers;
"Intentionality in Design" and "A Theory of Design Thinking" that can
be found at http://independent,academia.edu/charlesburnette.
I'd really appreciate your thoughts about how a "design stance"
becomes motivated and pursued. It has become a fundamental building
block for my theory of design thinking. It is too important an idea
to be left without adequate formulation.
Thanks,
Chuck
1) Dennett, D. 1996. Kinds of Minds, NY: Basic Books
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