Re: [-empyre-] cages

["hugh davies" <huedavies@gmail.com>]

Im really interested in this notion comparing the closed system of a
game to a cage. And I too would also love to hear you elaborate on
your concept of "pathological spatial aphasia" Catherine.
hugh




On 9/16/07, christina mcphee <christina112@earthlink.net> wrote:
> hi Catherine and empyre,
>
>
> I've been lurking but this terrific post draws me out (of my cage?@!)
>
> Please,  Catherine, give us your book information / urls and perhaps a longer quote. I agree with Chris that this comment of yours
>
> "A cage, for an
> >animal, is a drastic loss of space and an induction into a pathological
> >spatial aphasia.  For humans, "cages"--architectural cages for
> >example--are a gain in the meaning and reality of space.  But both cages
> >are space-boxes in the sense that they are constructed by representational
> >techniques (classical perspective or digital scripting ) that makes
> >"gaming", among other things, inevitable.  The caged animal and
> >"architectural human" in their boxes share a complex relationship to what
> >Derrida called "ethical calculability."
>
> and you add,
>
>
> "Distracted, but profound, gaming (in which real ethical calculability is
> probed [and expanded] in a variety of ways) is therefore, my hasty theoretical summary of
> the multitude of practices to which "spatial critical practice" might be
> leading us now. I think this is, mostly, a positive and creative
> direction.  Do you agree?
>
> Would you be implying then that gaming as it takes place in the hypothetical cage or linked cages can be
> a cognitive exploration of escape strategies from these cages?  (that is, to win is to get out of the game)?
>
>
> Also I would love to learn more from you about your concept "pathological spatial aphasia", linking speech and (?) spatial experience of severe/severed boundary conditions.
>
>
> Finally, this ethical calculability sounds like some kind of framing differential, perhaps a differential that is implied between polar subjective identities (animal regarding human through cage  and vice versa) ?  or are you speaking more of some common field of spatial cognition , shared amongst multiple subjects (like a multplayer gamespace, or a theatre lobby ) within which a differential plays out on multiple scales of value?  Some more free associations from you before you leave us would be very intriguing.
>
>
>
> Christina
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: cingraha@pratt.edu
> >Sent: Sep 15, 2007 3:51 PM
> >To: empyre@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
> >Subject: [-empyre-] cages
> >
> >The last three posts from Hugh, Sally Jean Norman, and Brian were
> >fantastic.  I thought I would simply add--having no time to digest all the
> >rich material offered here--a cage story (adapted from a book I wrote last
> >year--a chance for a plug):  A wildlife management scientist published an
> >article in the New York about being severely bitten by a hyena.  The hyena
> >was in a cage and she was putting water into the cage when the hyena bit
> >her, dragging her into the cage.  She lived, but with a limp that
> >subsequently, according to her account, marked her as prey in the world of
> >animals she worked with.  The cage arrests the hyena (in a post-animal
> >world)--it is no longer able to lay down its scent on the plains, the
> >means by which it announces it difference and identity.  A cage, for an
> >animal, is a drastic loss of space and an induction into a pathological
> >spatial aphasia.  For humans, "cages"--architectural cages for
> >example--are a gain in the meaning and reality of space.  But both cages
> >are space-boxes in the sense that they are constructed by representational
> >techniques (classical perspective or digital scripting ) that makes
> >"gaming", among other things, inevitable.  The caged animal and
> >"architectural human" in their boxes share a complex relationship to what
> >Derrida called "ethical calculability."
> >
> >Distracted, but profound, gaming (in which real ethical calculability is
> >probed in a variety of ways) is therefore, my hasty theoretical summary of
> >the multitude of practices to which "spatial critical practice" might be
> >leading us now. I think this is, mostly, a positive and creative
> >direction.  Do you agree?
> >
> >Catherine Ingraham
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >empyre forum
> >empyre@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
> >http://www.subtle.net/empyre
>
>
> <http://christinamcphee.net>
> <http://naxsmash.net>
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