Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 15, No. 348.
Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
<http://www.princeton.edu/~mccarty/humanist/>
<http://www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/humanist/>
[1] From: Arun-Kumar Tripathi (30)
<tripathi@amadeus.statistik.uni-dortmund.de>
Subject: Phenomenology of Digital-Being
[2] From: Arun-Kumar Tripathi (23)
<tripathi@amadeus.statistik.uni-dortmund.de>
Subject: Re: 15.334 Borgmann and experiential connection to
nature
--[1]------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 02 Nov 2001 06:30:00 +0000
From: Arun-Kumar Tripathi
<tripathi@amadeus.statistik.uni-dortmund.de>
Subject: Phenomenology of Digital-Being
Dear Dr. Willard McCarty,
Wishing you well, I found an interesting essay on "Phenomenology of
Digital-Being" by Joohan Kim, Department of Communication, Yonsei
University, Seoul, Korea in Human Studies, 24 (1/2):87-111, 2001. Kluwer
Academic Publishers --thought this essay might interest to humanist
scholars..
Abstract of the Essay
----------------------
This paper explores the ontology of digital information or the nature of
digital-being. Even though a digital-being is not a physical thing, it has
many essential features of physical things such as substantiality,
extensions, and thing-totality (via Heidegger). Despite their lack of
material bases, digital-beings can provide us with perceivedness or
universal passive pregivenness (via Husserl). Still, a digital-being is
not exactly a thing, because it does not belong to objective time and
space. Due to its perfect duplicability, a digital being can exist at
multiple locations simultaneously that is, it defies normal spatiotemporal
constraints. With digital beings on the Internet, we can establish
intercorporeal relationships. The World Wide Web opens up new
possibilities of Daseins being-able-to-be-with-one-another and new modes
of Being-with-others (Mitsein). The new modes of communication based on
digital-beings compel us to re-read Heideggers basic concepts such as
Dasein as Being-in-the-world, since Dasein becomes the Digi-sein as
Being-in-the-World-Wide-Web. By exploring the ontological characteristics
of digital-being, this paper suggests that we conceive digital-beings as
res digitalis a third entity which is located somewhere between res
cogitans and res extensa.
Thank you!
Sincerely yours
Arun Tripathi
--[2]------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 02 Nov 2001 06:30:15 +0000
From: Arun-Kumar Tripathi
<tripathi@amadeus.statistik.uni-dortmund.de>
Subject: Re: 15.334 Borgmann and experiential connection to nature
Dear Dr. Willard McCarty,
Again, I would like to add creative thoughts regarding the Borgmann's
issues by taking the issues of _Holding on to Reality_: The Nature of
Information at the Turn of the Millennium (University of Chicago Press,
1999) written by Prof. Albert Borgmann. Holding On to Reality is a
brilliant history of information, from its inception in the natural world
to its role in the transformation of culture to the current Internet mania
and is attendant assets and liabilities. Drawing on the history of ideas,
the details of information technology, and the boundaries of the human
condition, Borgmann illuminates the relationship between things and signs,
between reality and information.
Holding On to Reality is underscored by the humanist's fundamental belief
in human excellence and by the conviction that excellence is jeopardized
unless we achieve a balance of information and "the things and practices
that have served us well and we continue to depend on for our material and
spiritual well-being--the grandeur of nature, the splendour of cities,
competence of work, fidelity to loved ones, and devotion to art or
religion." Holding On to Reality is an eloquent call for caution and
historical understanding, and everyone concerned with the future of
information technologies will find their thinking enlivened and enriched
by Borgmann's lucid and impassioned exploration.
Thanks very much in advance.
Best regards,
Arun
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