You're Catch-22!
by Joseph Heller
Incredibly witty and funny, you have a taste for irony in all that you
see. It seems that life has put you in perpetually untenable situations, and your sense
of humor is all that gets you through them. These experiences have also made you an
ardent pacifist, though you present your message with tongue sewn into cheek. You
could coin a phrase that replaces the word "paradox" for millions of
people.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

On Heterotopias.

Back in October, I promised Chris Locke I would point him to this short essay by Michel Foucault, “Of Other Spaces.” It originally appeared in English in diacritics 16 (Spring 1986), 22-27; Foucault had been tussling with the topic since the time of The Order of Things, where he introduces the utopia-heterotopia distinction. Good thinky thoughts, and now I finally fulfilled my promise.

[AKMA’s Random Thoughts]

——

foucault.info has several texts which should still be under copyright….

• Chubin, Daryl E.ÊÊ(1976).ÊÊThe Conceptualization of Scientific Specialties.ÊÊSociological Quarterly 17: 448-476.ÊÊ

• Gardner, H.ÊÊ(1999).ÊÊThe Disciplined Mind: What All Students Should Understand.ÊÊ New York:ÊÊSimon & Schuster.Ê
• Hull, D.L.ÊÊ(2000).ÊÊThe professionalization of science studies: Cutting some slack.ÊÊBiology and Philosophy 15: 61-91.ÊÊ
• Johann GštschlÊÊ(2001).ÊÊTransdisciplinarity: Dynamic interrelations between disciplinarity, interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity. in: E. Mariani (ed.).ÊÊUnity of Knowing and Doing: A Transdisciplinary Solution.ÊÊ
• Klein. J. & al. (eds)ÊÊ(2000).ÊÊTransdisciplinarity: Joint Problem Solving among Science, Technology, and Society Society.ÊÊ Basel:ÊÊBirkhŠuserÊ
• Nowotny, H., Scott, P., Gibbons M.ÊÊ(2001).ÊÊRe-Thinking Science. Knowledge and the Public in an Age of Uncertainty.ÊÊ Cambridge:ÊÊPolity PressÊ

Creative Technology programs and transparency in academia. Geoffrey Rockwell made up a very cool “Creative Technology Curriculum”. I'd have loved to get a degree in that if it had been available when I got into college!

Geoffrey also points to a fascinating (if you're interested in the dynamics of academia) document in which the Faculty of Information Studies of the University of Toronto attempts to redefine itself. As Geoffrey writes,

In the paper the dean, Briank Cantwell Smith raises questions about
what is the subject of information studies (we all study information.)
He argues for an issues oriented, interdisciplinary centre that looks
at documentary practices and performances.

What is exciting about the process is that it is open (I can look at
it) and openness is also one of the issues (as in Open Source as an
issue.)

Perhaps what we need is a clear philosophy of open source research as a practice.

[Seb's Open Research]

——

two interesting documents from seb today, well worth thinking about. the first is somewhat like the software arts degree, the latter is somewhat interestingly about the reformation of a major information school.

the roanoke times is reporting that units from the 1/116th infantry will be activated and added to the the 3rd battalian in its activation. This is the storied stonewall Brigade, the spearhead of the d-day assault, some parts of which haven't been activated since WWII. Back in the day, I served in one of those units, though it looks like my old unit isn't being activated. They are all good soldiers, I'm sure they'll do fine.