Re: [-empyre-] cages

[cingraha@pratt.edu]

> Dear Hugh, Christina and others:

I very much enjoyed, and learned from, your postings. When I get a chance
in the next day or so I will try and elaborate a little on my thoughts on
spatial aphasia, possible links between cages and games, and "escape."
Sooner is better probably so I don't interrupt new directions of the
forum. Meanwhile, to finish my plug, my book is available on Amazon and is
entitled "Architecture, Animal, Human: The asymmetrical condition"
(Routledge 2006)  Back soon, Best, Catherine


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>
>> _______________________________________________
>> empyre forum
>> empyre@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
>> http://www.subtle.net/empyre
>>
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