Comments on: A purchase is just the beginning http://snarkmarket.com/2011/6833 The stomping grounds of Tim Carmody, Robin Sloan and Matt Thompson. It's a long-running conversation about media, journalism, technology, cities, culture, design, books, music, movies, the future and the past. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:20:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: A Lesson In Techno-Literacy - PSFK http://snarkmarket.com/2011/6833/comment-page-1#comment-28236 A Lesson In Techno-Literacy - PSFK Fri, 13 May 2011 13:20:38 +0000 http://snarkmarket.com/?p=6833#comment-28236 [...] [via Snarkmarket] [...] […] [via Snarkmarket] […]

]]> By: Kevin Kelly http://snarkmarket.com/2011/6833/comment-page-1#comment-27374 Kevin Kelly Fri, 06 May 2011 20:00:40 +0000 http://snarkmarket.com/?p=6833#comment-27374 Hey, Tim! Thanks for the reference. I agree 100% with your comment: "I really believe (with Aristotle and Heidegger) that technology/Technik/τέχνη [techné] is a form of knowledge, a way to think, not just a bunch of stuff we plug into walls." The technium is a way of knowing and technologies are ideas made substantial. We think with our tools. Hey, Tim! Thanks for the reference.

I agree 100% with your comment: “I really believe (with Aristotle and Heidegger) that technology/Technik/τέχνη [techné] is a form of knowledge, a way to think, not just a bunch of stuff we plug into walls.”

The technium is a way of knowing and technologies are ideas made substantial. We think with our tools.

]]> By: Nick Paloukos http://snarkmarket.com/2011/6833/comment-page-1#comment-26978 Nick Paloukos Sat, 30 Apr 2011 18:55:14 +0000 http://snarkmarket.com/?p=6833#comment-26978 I like the reminder that we need to compare new technology to no technology, not just old technology. I think that creates an important perspective. I like the reminder that we need to compare new technology to no technology, not just old technology. I think that creates an important perspective.

]]> By: Tim Carmody http://snarkmarket.com/2011/6833/comment-page-1#comment-26957 Tim Carmody Sat, 30 Apr 2011 14:23:41 +0000 http://snarkmarket.com/?p=6833#comment-26957 I really believe (with Aristotle and Heidegger) that technology/<em>Technik</em>/<em>τέχνη [techné]</em> is a form of knowledge, a way to think, not just a bunch of stuff we plug into walls. But once you say that, then you've got to think a little more broadly about what knowledge and thinking are. The general case for this argument then would be that learning individual data points are less valuable than learning ways of thinking, that learning specific ways of thinking is less valuable than being able to adapt and develop new ways of thinking -- -- but also, of course, that all of these things only genuinely realize themselves when you're immersed in the specific things themselves. And that this learning will have to happen over and over again, no matter what you think you've learned or how smart you think you are. I really believe (with Aristotle and Heidegger) that technology/Technik/τέχνη [techné] is a form of knowledge, a way to think, not just a bunch of stuff we plug into walls. But once you say that, then you’ve got to think a little more broadly about what knowledge and thinking are.

The general case for this argument then would be that learning individual data points are less valuable than learning ways of thinking, that learning specific ways of thinking is less valuable than being able to adapt and develop new ways of thinking —

– but also, of course, that all of these things only genuinely realize themselves when you’re immersed in the specific things themselves. And that this learning will have to happen over and over again, no matter what you think you’ve learned or how smart you think you are.

]]> By: Bethany http://snarkmarket.com/2011/6833/comment-page-1#comment-26956 Bethany Sat, 30 Apr 2011 14:05:13 +0000 http://snarkmarket.com/?p=6833#comment-26956 I pitched a course to my department for next year about Rhetoric and Digital Media, this seems like a great way to start it. Bookmarked! I had planned to get my students to think critically about technology in general (McLuhan, cyborgs, etc) but also practice that thought on case studies. It might persuade them that this is valuable if I show them this kind of blog post. I more and more think education has to be about building skills like Kelly says. Not just with technology, but with ideas and arguments too. I pitched a course to my department for next year about Rhetoric and Digital Media, this seems like a great way to start it. Bookmarked! I had planned to get my students to think critically about technology in general (McLuhan, cyborgs, etc) but also practice that thought on case studies. It might persuade them that this is valuable if I show them this kind of blog post. I more and more think education has to be about building skills like Kelly says. Not just with technology, but with ideas and arguments too.

]]> By: Tim Carmody http://snarkmarket.com/2011/6833/comment-page-1#comment-26795 Tim Carmody Sat, 30 Apr 2011 02:12:55 +0000 http://snarkmarket.com/?p=6833#comment-26795 I think we've got to go back a lot farther. For instance, let's think about the generation that came of age between 1900 and 1920. These people -- or at least many, many people in the educated, employed middle-class West -- probably learned how to: <ul><li>type on a typewriter</li> <li>ride a bicycle</li> <li>drive a car</li> <li>maintain/repair a car</li> <li>use a radio</li> <li>use a gramophone player</li> <li>use a sewing machine</li> <li>take pictures using a camera</li> <li>develop those pictures</li> <li>handle electric lights and appliances</li> <li>use a telephone</li> <li>watch movies (maybe not much learning, but hey, it was new)</li></ul> And all of those technologies and more besides were changing all the time. Some of those things they needed to learn for work, others for recreation. And they were all new. And they all inspired a cult of and hunger for the new. I think we’ve got to go back a lot farther. For instance, let’s think about the generation that came of age between 1900 and 1920. These people — or at least many, many people in the educated, employed middle-class West — probably learned how to:

  • type on a typewriter
  • ride a bicycle
  • drive a car
  • maintain/repair a car
  • use a radio
  • use a gramophone player
  • use a sewing machine
  • take pictures using a camera
  • develop those pictures
  • handle electric lights and appliances
  • use a telephone
  • watch movies (maybe not much learning, but hey, it was new)

And all of those technologies and more besides were changing all the time. Some of those things they needed to learn for work, others for recreation. And they were all new. And they all inspired a cult of and hunger for the new.

]]> By: danya http://snarkmarket.com/2011/6833/comment-page-1#comment-26790 danya Sat, 30 Apr 2011 01:57:41 +0000 http://snarkmarket.com/?p=6833#comment-26790 Agree, a lot of good stuff in Kelly's post. One thing his framing misses (and yours recasts well) is that these skills are not only necessary for our children, those who are young now, but are valuable for all adults. Which leads me to wonder when these maxims became applicable; was it some point in the last decade? In the '90s? In other words, are they internet-era dependent or have they always been true, just on a longer timeframe? Agree, a lot of good stuff in Kelly’s post. One thing his framing misses (and yours recasts well) is that these skills are not only necessary for our children, those who are young now, but are valuable for all adults.

Which leads me to wonder when these maxims became applicable; was it some point in the last decade? In the ‘90s? In other words, are they internet-era dependent or have they always been true, just on a longer timeframe?

]]>