Postphenomenology: Essays in the Postmodern Context
Don Ihde, Andre Orianne (Translator), Richard A. CohenBooks.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
Postphenomenology is a fascinating investigation of the relationships between global culture and technology. The impressive range of subjects to which Don Ihde applies his skill as a phenomenologist is unified by what he describes as "a concern which arises with respect to one of the now major trends of Euro-American philosophy - its textism." He adds, "I show my worries to be less about the loss of subjects or authors, than I do about [there] not being bodies or perceivers." The book has two parts. In part one, Ihde addresses the cultural role of technologies in relation to perception, multiculturalism, and technoscience, and gives special consideration to the impact of image technologies, such as television and cinema, upon the contemporary world. Part two is a reassessment of the role of perception in relation to the current emphasis upon "readings," the "text," and feminism in science. The book concludes with a speculation on how the humanities will take shape in the twenty-first century. Throughout Postphenomenology, Ihde displays a vast knowledge of subject areas as varied as the history of mapping and navigation, NASA statistical information, technology transfer data, and contemporary trends in the philosophy of science, enabling him to make insightful and innovative connections between topics. Postphenomenology will interest anyone who thinks critically about social institutions and culture.Synopsis
Postphenomenology is a fascinating investigation of the relationships between global culture and technology. The impressive range of subjects to which Don Ihde applies his skill as a phenomenologist is unified by what he describes as "a concern which arises with respect to one of the now major trends of Euro-American philosophy - its textism." He adds, "I show my worries to be less about the loss of subjects or authors, than I do about [there] not being bodies or perceivers." The book has two parts. In part one, Ihde addresses the cultural role of technologies in relation to perception, multiculturalism, and technoscience, and gives special consideration to the impact of image technologies, such as television and cinema, upon the contemporary world. Part two is a reassessment of the role of perception in relation to the current emphasis upon "readings," the "text," and feminism in science. The book concludes with a speculation on how the humanities will take shape in the twenty-first century. Throughout Postphenomenology, Ihde displays a vast knowledge of subject areas as varied as the history of mapping and navigation, NASA statistical information, technology transfer data, and contemporary trends in the philosophy of science, enabling him to make insightful and innovative connections between topics. Postphenomenology will interest anyone who thinks critically about social institutions and culture.
Booknews
Essays marked by two recurring themes--one, the intimate connection between technology and culture, and the other what Ihde calls "a perceptual-bodily referentiality"--but also responding either directly or indirectly to the postmodern context. Ihde (philosophy, SUNY, Stony Brook) concludes in the epilogue with a brief reflection on the wider state of humanities as the 21st century approaches. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)