19.309 contemplation and computing

               Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 19, No. 309.
       Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
                   www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/humanist/
                        www.princeton.edu/humanist/
                     Submit to: humanist_at_princeton.edu

   [1] From: mattj_at_newsblip.com (37)
         Subject: Re: 19.307 contemplation and computing

   [2] From: Ryan Deschamps <Ryan.Deschamps_at_Dal.Ca> (42)
         Subject: Re: 19.307 contemplation and computing

--[1]------------------------------------------------------------------
         Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2005 22:54:25 +0100
         From: mattj_at_newsblip.com
         Subject: Re: 19.307 contemplation and computing

> From: Steven D.Krause <skrause_at_emich.edu>
> >
>Of course, the problem of technology and "critical thinking" (or just
>"thinking") has been a problem for thousands of years. [ ...
>Socrates on Theuth and Thamus ... ]
>Substitute "digital communication" for "letters" and I think you can
>see how these things fit together.

Thamus was right. The mnemonic powers of pre-literate (as in pre-writing)
societies astounds us today. Who among us can recite a three-hour epic poem?

However, Thamus only looked at the costs, and not the benefits. For example,
it's been argued that Western Civilization's success in science could not have
occurred in a non-literate society, because observations need to be written
down if they are to be trusted with the passing of time, and properly analyzed.

Similarly, we today enjoy amazing benefits from being able to tap into the
global Googlebrain that all Web users are collectively growing through their
individual accretion of factoids and comments. But I agree with those who have
said that in another decade, people will feel hopelessly lost if their Web
access is taken away. Lost in the sense of feeling they are no longer
themselves.

It used to be only hard-charging workaholics who felt anxious without access to
their email. More and more, that feeling affects everyday people; if you don't
experience it, you likely know someone who does. A similar dynamic affects
people's growing reliance on search engines for recalling simple facts, and the
use of blogs and wikis (I like Backpackit.com) to maintain personal
memory (both
short-term and long-term).

>[T]hey will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing;
>they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing;

Quite true. Like Thamus, I lament that aspect. It's wonderful that the Web
helps people to learn so much. At the same time, you never know if someone
mailed you something useful/clever/obscure/intelligent because they are such an
intelligent, well-educated, interesting person, or because they did a 30-second
search on Google. And I do think my brain is learning to become lazy; either
I'm just forgetting how to remember, or I subconsciously know I'll be able to
look something up again in the future, and it gets thrown out.

-Matt Jensen
NewsBlip
Seattle

--[2]------------------------------------------------------------------
         Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2005 22:55:10 +0100
         From: Ryan Deschamps <Ryan.Deschamps_at_Dal.Ca>
         Subject: Re: 19.307 contemplation and computing

As I keep saying to people:

A *book* is an extremely innovative and effective information technology, given
the right purposes and desire to use it.

My experience is that a book does have a more contemplative appeal than does
alot of other technology. But I do not necessarily think that other IT
necessarily keeps people from being contemplative.

I think lifestyle trends and social pressures, rather than technologies, are
impacting contemplation. Technology may have a role to play on these trends,
but you can't really accuse a tree of assault if you run into it head-first.

Ryan. . .

Quoting "Humanist Discussion Group (by way of Willard McCarty
      <willard.mccarty_at_kcl.ac.uk>)" <willard_at_LISTS.VILLAGE.VIRGINIA.EDU>:

> Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 19, No. 307.
> Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
> www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/humanist/
> www.princeton.edu/humanist/
> Submit to: humanist_at_princeton.edu
>
>
>
> Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2005 08:15:35 +0100
> From: Steven D.Krause <skrause_at_emich.edu>
> >
>Of course, the problem of technology and "critical thinking" (or just
>"thinking") has been a problem for thousands of years. A key passage
>comes from Plato's *Phaderus* when Socrates tells the story of how
>the Egyptian god Theuth invented literacy (oh, and also invented
>"draughts and dice"-- an interesting connection with writing and
>reading, if you ask me), and how Thamus, also an Egyptian god,
>criticizes this new-fangled writing. Here's the passage I have in mind:

<snip>

>Substitute "digital communication" for "letters" and I think you can
>see how these things fit together.
>
>--Steve
>
>
>Steven D. Krause
>Associate Professor, Department of English Language and Literature
>Eastern Michigan University * Ypsilanti, MI 48197
>http://www.stevendkrause.com

Ryan Deschamps
MLIS/MPA Expected 2005
Received on Thu Sep 29 2005 - 18:06:55 EDT