Dear Kari
You wrote:
"Humans, groups, organizations and society are bodies for social and
organizational sciences; turf already taken. Our body has to contain
artifacts – but artifacts in their pure technicality belong the body of
engineering; new angle needed. And we are not interested in only what is
now but also what may be – our body is on move: artifacts and practices in
their co-evolution, culturally and historically contextualized. Dynamics of
human materially-mediated practices, to put it shortly. (...) This is the
area that needs some theorizing (...)"
Once again, repeating myself but with more and more assurance following
reflections like yours and many others, the "new angle needed" to study
artifacts, is the angle of 'use and utilization'. After over 30 years now
reflecting on and verifying all different 'seams' of these two concepts, I
once more submit that 'use and utilization' be the sole base of expertise
for Designers, including those interested in historical aspects.
Best wishes
Francois
Montreal
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