As many know I am completing a MS in Human-Computer Interaction Design (or HCI/D for short) in the department of Informatics in the School of Informatics at Indiana University. I am also applying for several PhD programs for next year. Even though I have my short list of places to apply to, I still dabble in my searches for other programs when I have a few extra minutes.
Kevin Makice has thoughtfully defined Informatics and I think I agree with him. In the Masters program we are immediately taught most of the standard methods in what most people call UX or IX design (User eXperience & Interaction), but it is sometimes called usability, user-centered design, or more properly as I learned yesterday, human-centered design. What brought me to IU was the unique nature of the program and that I have a passion for making technology better for everyone, and that it can make our society better if used properly.
That being said however, as early as November or December of last year (sometime after my midterm in 501) I started to consider the value of our program to be “critical thinking about technology”. I have started to really think about the philosophy of technology lately, not that I’ve had a choice with my selection of theoretically and philsophically dense readings (thank you Jeff Bardzell & Erik Stolterman).
Take all of that background and then mix in this argument: Technology in the developed world, and even to large extent in the developing world is almost everywhere and has a hand in almost every aspect of our lives. Each of us use technology to change the world around us, whether that be to make a phone call and save ourselves from walking over and talking to someone or making fun videos on YouTube, this is the case. Now here’s the premise that many of you may disagree with; When we design and use technology we are implicitly forwarding or promoting a philosophy about what the world should be like. If that is true then some scholars should be making that philosophy explicit, and this should be a consideration when designing new tools, platforms etc for use.
I take this argument to be true and therefore started looking at the philosophy of technology, and thought to myself “surely there is a PhD program somewhere that focuses on the philosophy of technology.” NOPE, not a one. There are several great books out there, and like I said it’s being talked about in some of my classes, usually obiliquely, but I just thought that maybe I would see some courses being taught on the grad level somewhere on this, or perhaps a minor, or track within a program on this. Very few. I managed to find a course that was taught last spring at UNT on the philosophy of technology.
There MUST be scholars out there thinking about these issues, if there is anyone who knows about them, please point them my way!
Coming soon a resource page of books, articles and people, please contribute to it by commenting or emailing me aaronh (at) gmail [dot] com.
What about science, technology and society programs? They come awfully close to your notion of philosophy of technology. It might be a place to start!
U of Toronto has an HPST program that might be worth looking into. Here are some names of philosophers who do work in philosophy of technology, too: Don Ihde, Joe Pitt, Davis Baird, Peter-Paul Verbeek, Carl Mitcham, Andrew Feenberg, and Albert Borgmann.
@tyler thanks, I’ve looked there, not found a lot of interest yet, maybe I’ll find something eventually.
@macht
Thanks for the link, I don’t know if I can handle living in the great white north, but I will certainly look at the program and course and such. I appreciate the author list!
I’m currently reading Verbeek (as you may have seen from my other post from today).
Also reading your blog, interesting stuff!
Hi, it must be too late, but here is also good to look at for a list of related academic programs:
http://www.davidjhess.org/STSPrograms.html
I had a rather similar background and interest with you (MS in artificial intelligence and interest in philTech) and I joint the STS program at VT to start from this fall. As far as I know, this one is the best for philosophy of technology as it has a separate track for “philosophy of science and technology”.
Parissa-
I have actually been reading STS books, on an STS listserv, and really liked what I read. I have started using some of what I have read in my research.
Thanks for the link though, I’m sure it will be helpful especially to others who come across the page.