No subject
Wed Sep 17 19:00:04 EST 2014
computation of actionable futures, many of the processes inherent to =E2=80=
=9Cthe
digital=E2=80=9D are taking place outside of the phenomenal field of human
perception. To this end, not only is the performative =E2=80=9Cstuff=E2=80=
=9D of the
digital functionally evasive, but the reiterative and regenerative
executions that drive its operation also suggest that even when we do =E2=
=80=9Csee
something,=E2=80=9D it is nothing more than an ephemeral apparition.
Now, with this being said - As Chun (2008) has discussed, and as Kristie
and Dragan commented in their closing remarks (I think), despite the
cascading complexity of the digital, and the dispersed apparatus that props
it up, digital =E2=80=9Cstuff=E2=80=9D *does* endure and frequently adopts =
a form that is
remarkably easy to objectify, if only in appearance - the mouse pointer, an
MP3 file, the selection tool (http://www.selectionasanobject.com/), a
series of electronic gems (http://nicolassassoon.com/GEMS.html)=E2=80=A6 Th=
ese
things look like objects, act like objects, and (increasingly, as the
distance between the digital and the physical closes,) feel like objects.
Whether this is merely an ideological function of engineering or a matter
of socio-cultural hallucination, the fact remains that "digital objects"
are emerging as a contemporary phenomenon in need of critique...
At any rate, I suppose the question now becomes whether the term =E2=80=9Co=
bject=E2=80=9D
is merely a skeuomorphic metaphor used to make sense of the =E2=80=9Cstuff =
unlike
any other,=E2=80=9D or if an case can be made for the existence of digital =
objects.
(I think several of us participating this month would like to make a case
for the latter!) Furthermore, what work does and can the concept of
"digital object" do for us? What insight might a conceptualization of
digital objects provide us with that an understanding of the brute
technicalities of computation cannot?
***
Until next time,
A.
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<div dir=3D"ltr"><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-ser=
if;font-size:13px">Dear --empyre-- members and invited discussants,</p><p c=
lass=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><b=
r></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-siz=
e:13px">Thank you for an engaging start to this month's conversation!=
=C2=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font=
-size:13px"><br></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-=
serif;font-size:13px">I have a bit of a follow-up question that I feel enga=
ges several of the entries thus far and that, I hope, might get us talking =
about how to reconcile function and appearance. After posing my question, I=
will provide some context for it.=C2=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D=
"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal=
" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">***</p><p class=3D"=
MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></p><p=
class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">=
Is framing digital phenomena as "objects" worthwhile? What work c=
an the concept of "digital object" do for us, that an acknowledge=
ment of perpetual processuality cannot?</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"=
font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"=
style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">***</p><p class=3D"M=
soNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></p><p =
class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">B=
ecause computer programs are largely founded upon the =E2=80=9Cpresuppositi=
on of representation=E2=80=9D (Hui 2012:345), much of the scholarship on di=
gital objects has been limited to things that could be made visible to a us=
er (Ange=E2=80=99s comment regarding his reason for back-end =E2=80=9Ccraft=
ing=E2=80=9D seems relevant here). As several of the recent posts (Dragan, =
Andres, Hannah...) have articulated, this is a regrettably limited approach=
that is not able to account for the depth and processual complexity of dig=
ital objects/things/stuff/whatever.</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font=
-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">=C2=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" s=
tyle=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">From hidden communicat=
ion between smart devices to the algorithmic computation of actionable futu=
res, many of the processes inherent to =E2=80=9Cthe digital=E2=80=9D are ta=
king place outside of the phenomenal field of human perception. To this end=
, not only is the performative =E2=80=9Cstuff=E2=80=9D of the digital funct=
ionally evasive, but the reiterative and regenerative executions that drive=
its operation also suggest that even when we do =E2=80=9Csee something,=E2=
=80=9D it is nothing more than an ephemeral apparition.=C2=A0</p><p class=
=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">=C2=A0=
</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:=
13px">Now, with this being said - As Chun (2008) has discussed, and as Kris=
tie and Dragan commented in their closing remarks (I think), despite the ca=
scading complexity of the digital, and the dispersed apparatus that props i=
t up, digital =E2=80=9Cstuff=E2=80=9D=C2=A0<b>does</b>=C2=A0endure and freq=
uently adopts a form that is remarkably easy to objectify, if only in appea=
rance - the mouse pointer, an MP3 file, the selection tool (<a href=3D"http=
://www.selectionasanobject.com/" target=3D"_blank">http://www.selectionasan=
object.com/</a>), a series of electronic gems (<a href=3D"http://nicolassas=
soon.com/GEMS.html)" target=3D"_blank">http://nicolassassoon.com/GEMS.html)=
</a>=E2=80=A6 These things look like objects, act like objects, and (increa=
singly, as the distance between the digital and the physical closes,) feel =
like objects. Whether this is merely an ideological function of engineering=
or a matter of socio-cultural hallucination, the fact remains that "d=
igital objects" are emerging as a contemporary phenomenon in need of c=
ritique...</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;=
font-size:13px"><br></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,s=
ans-serif;font-size:13px">At any rate, I suppose the question now becomes w=
hether the term =E2=80=9Cobject=E2=80=9D is merely a skeuomorphic metaphor =
used to make sense of the =E2=80=9Cstuff unlike any other,=E2=80=9D or if a=
n case can be made for the existence of digital objects. (I think several o=
f us participating this month would like to make a case for the latter!) Fu=
rthermore, what work does and can the concept of "digital object"=
do for us? What insight might a conceptualization of digital objects provi=
de us with that an understanding of the brute technicalities of computation=
cannot?=C2=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-se=
rif;font-size:13px"><br></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:ari=
al,sans-serif;font-size:13px">=C2=A0</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"fon=
t-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">***</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" sty=
le=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></p><p class=3D"MsoN=
ormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><br></p><p cla=
ss=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">Unti=
l next time,</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial,sans-seri=
f;font-size:13px"><br></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"font-family:arial=
,sans-serif;font-size:13px">A.</p><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><div class=
=3D"gmail_quote"><br></div></div></div>
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