Comments on: Culture, Computers, and Communities: Two Recent Books

By: Shift Happens: Power to the Pedals | Roy Christopher

Shift Happens: Power to the Pedals | Roy Christopher — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 19:14:01 +0000

[...] time. This is, of course, impossible, as even their visions of simpler times include technology. For example, in The Nature of Technology (Free Press, 2009), Brian Arthur envisions a world where all of our [...]

By: Digital Habitats: stewarding technology for communities » Brief comments on two recent reviews of Digital Habitat

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:45:34 +0000

[...] Christopher on Culture, Computers, and Communities: Two Recent Books Thanks, Roy. I think your point about nature and technology is exactly the point we were trying to [...]

By: Roy Christopher

Roy Christopher — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:16:00 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Dahnyul. Believe me, “deep craft” and a “set of knowings” are the least of Dr. Arthur’s stretches. I don’t mean to be so hard on the guy — as I said, he’s a brilliant scholar — but I couldn’t truck with a lot of the “theory” of technology outlined in this book.

By: Dahnyul

Dahnyul — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:47:16 +0000

Thanks for the review. Great to see Wenger, White and Smith collaborating to deliver such a practical resource.

My only comment is that, while I may betray my pedestrianism, it feels to me as if practitioners may be guilty of stretching out just a wee bit too far for a new concept where none exists. For example, Mr. Arthur references to ‘deep craft’ and a ‘set of knowings’.

Is there something more here being expressed than simple experience? Perhaps, but to find out I’d have to actually read the book. I’m not sure I’m that motivated to add to my limited edition boxed set of understandings.