The QuestionThe QuestionConcerning Concerning Computing:Computing:
Syed Mustafa AliSyed Mustafa Ali
Computing DepartmentComputing Department
The Open UniversityThe Open University
Later Heideggerian Musings
8-02-01
The The WhyWhy of Questioning of Questioning
““The biggest single The biggest single needneed in computer in computer technology is not for improved technology is not for improved circuitry or enlarged capacity or circuitry or enlarged capacity or prolonged memory or miniaturised prolonged memory or miniaturised containers. but for better containers. but for better questionsquestions and better use of the answers.”and better use of the answers.”
– Norman Cousins, Norman Cousins, The Computer and The PoetThe Computer and The Poet (1966)(1966)
Some Some WaywardWayward Questions Questions
Is computing in Is computing in crisiscrisis ? ?– Maybe, Perhaps, Maybe, Perhaps, Yes!Yes!
What is the What is the naturenature of this crisis ? of this crisis ?– Subsidence (or a shifting of foundations)Subsidence (or a shifting of foundations)
The Second Coming - A ManifestoThe Second Coming - A Manifesto by D.Gelertner by D.Gelertner (www.edge.org/3rd_culture/gelertner/)(www.edge.org/3rd_culture/gelertner/)
What What isis computing for it to be in crisis ? computing for it to be in crisis ?– Can we answer this question given that the Can we answer this question given that the
foundations of computing are shifting ?foundations of computing are shifting ?
The The WayWay of Questioning of Questioning
Questioning as building a way or Questioning as building a way or way-ingway-ing
Way-ing as hermeneutic and circularWay-ing as hermeneutic and circular– Existentially and historically situated reflexive Existentially and historically situated reflexive
interpretation as a foundation for critical interpretation as a foundation for critical inquiryinquiry
““A” questions and “The” questionA” questions and “The” question– onticalontical (factical, phenomenal) (factical, phenomenal) vs.vs. ontologicalontological
(foundational, essential) questioning(foundational, essential) questioning
AA Way Way IntoInto Way-ing Way-ing
The works ofThe works of Brian Cantwell SmithBrian Cantwell Smith
On the Origin of ObjectsOn the Origin of Objects– (Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press: 1996)(Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press: 1996)
The Foundations of ComputingThe Foundations of Computing God, Approximately • 4God, Approximately • 4 One Hundred Billion Lines of C++One Hundred Billion Lines of C++ Metaphysics for the 21st CenturyMetaphysics for the 21st Century
– www.ageofsig.org/people/bcsmith/paperswww.ageofsig.org/people/bcsmith/papers
Foundations of ComputingFoundations of Computing
ObjectiveObjective
– A comprehensive theory of A comprehensive theory of computationcomputation
Criteria for theoretical sufficiencyCriteria for theoretical sufficiency
– EmpiricalEmpirical– ConceptualConceptual– CognitiveCognitive
Foundations of ComputingFoundations of Computing
EmpiricalEmpirical (or praxical)(or praxical)
what people treat what people treat asas computational computational isis computational (“computation in the wild”)computational (“computation in the wild”)
ConceptualConceptual non-circular resolution of grounding problem non-circular resolution of grounding problem
(representation+semantics (representation+semantics computation) computation)
CognitiveCognitive tenable foundation for computational theory of tenable foundation for computational theory of
mind (or cognitivism)mind (or cognitivism)
Heidegger (andSearle) on“as”-ness
Heidegger (andSearle) on“as”-ness
Intentionality
Six Construals of Six Construals of ComputationComputation
1 Formal Symbol ManipulationFormal Symbol Manipulation– semantics-independent semantics-independent ?!?!
2 Effective ComputabilityEffective Computability– abstract machine (what can be abstract machine (what can be
done, how hard)done, how hard)
3 Algorithm ExecutionAlgorithm Execution– rule-generated behaviourrule-generated behaviour
4 Digital State MechanicsDigital State Mechanics– automaton with finite disjoint set automaton with finite disjoint set
of internally homogeneous of internally homogeneous statesstates
5 Information ProcessingInformation Processing– storing, manipulating, displaying storing, manipulating, displaying
informationinformation (whatever that (whatever that might be)might be)
6 Physical Symbol SystemsPhysical Symbol Systems– embodied symbolic interaction embodied symbolic interaction
Six Construals of Six Construals of ComputationComputation
““When subjected to the When subjected to the empiricalempirical demands of demands of practicepractice and the and the conceptualconceptual demands of demands of cognitive sciencecognitive science, , allall six six construals fail - for deep, overlapping, construals fail - for deep, overlapping, but distinct, reasons.”but distinct, reasons.”
WHY ?
Problems of ConstrualProblems of Construal
Essential DifferencesEssential Differences
– TopologicalTopological
Internal/structural/constitutional (Internal/structural/constitutional (deepdeep)) External/functional/behavioural (External/functional/behavioural (surfacesurface))
– SemanticSemantic
Symbolic (1 and 3)Symbolic (1 and 3) Purely formal (2 and 4)Purely formal (2 and 4)
Problems of ConstrualProblems of Construal
Types of SemanticsTypes of Semantics
PROGRAM begin proc Test(n,m)
if n=0 then …end
PROCESS(Program behaviour)
WORLD
EFFECTIVE(CAUSAL)
PRAGMATIC,HERMENEUTIC,or something else(NOT necessarilycausal)
Problems of ConstrualProblems of Construal
Formal systems and PhysicsFormal systems and Physics
– effective computability as a mathematical effective computability as a mathematical theory of causality applying to theory of causality applying to allall physical physical entities entities not just computersnot just computers
What does it mean to be What does it mean to be “formal”“formal” ? ?
– precise, abstract, mathematical, a-contextual, precise, abstract, mathematical, a-contextual, digital, explicit, syntactic, non-semantic etcdigital, explicit, syntactic, non-semantic etc
Problems of ConstrualProblems of Construal
Furthermore, what is Furthermore, what is ““Information”Information” ? ?
– commoditycommodity (lay, colloquial usage) (lay, colloquial usage)– entropyentropy (algorithmic information theory) (algorithmic information theory)– meaningmeaning (semantic content, veridicality) (semantic content, veridicality)
“The computer, darling child of the formal tradition, outstrips the bounds of the very tradition that gave rise to it”
ConclusionsConclusions
There will be no There will be no theorytheory of computation of computation
becausebecause
Computation is Computation is notnot a (determinate, a (determinate, autonomous) subject matter.autonomous) subject matter.
On the contrary,On the contrary,
Computation is Computation is groundedgrounded in in intentionalityintentionality
On The On The UpUp-Side: Proposal-Side: Proposal
Computation as a complex practice, Computation as a complex practice, involving the design, construction, involving the design, construction, maintenance, and use ofmaintenance, and use of
intentional systemsintentional systems
From computer science to computerengineering, computer
technology and computing practice
On The On The UpUp-Side: Proposal-Side: Proposal
Computation as a complex practice, Computation as a complex practice, involving the design, construction, involving the design, construction, maintenance, and use ofmaintenance, and use of
intentional systemsintentional systems
From computer science to ?
On The On The DownDown-Side: -Side: CritiqueCritique
We don’t have an adequate We don’t have an adequate theory theory of intentionality (or of intentionality (or asas-ness)-ness)
becausebecause
We don’t have an adequate theory We don’t have an adequate theory of of ontologyontology
The Single QuestionThe Single Question
SOURCE: http://www.theuniversityconcourse.com/I,3,3-12-1996/Marra.htm
Martin Heidegger (1889-Martin Heidegger (1889-1976): The Good, The Bad & 1976): The Good, The Bad &
The UglyThe Ugly THE GOODTHE GOOD
– German Existential PhenomenologistGerman Existential Phenomenologist– Author of Author of Being & TimeBeing & Time (1927) (1927)– PerhapsPerhaps the most important philosopher the most important philosopher
of the 20th centuryof the 20th century THE BADTHE BAD
– Difficulty of his worksDifficulty of his works Is Heidegger being profound or is he a Is Heidegger being profound or is he a
philosophical charlatan ?philosophical charlatan ?
THE UGLYTHE UGLY– Member of the National Socialist Party Member of the National Socialist Party
(1933-1934)(1933-1934) To what extent (if at all) does his politics To what extent (if at all) does his politics
contaminate his philosophy ?contaminate his philosophy ?
“He who thinks greatly,must err greatly”
“He who thinks greatly,must err greatly”
What is Phenomenology ?What is Phenomenology ?
DEFINITION: DEFINITION: PhenomenologyPhenomenology (Husserl) (Husserl)
– The systematic analysis of consciousness The systematic analysis of consciousness and its contentsand its contents
PROBLEMSPROBLEMS
– Assumed Cartesian Assumed Cartesian dualismdualism (self and world) (self and world)– Non-contextualNon-contextual view of self (bracketing of the world) view of self (bracketing of the world)– Prioritisation of Prioritisation of consciousnessconsciousness vis-à-vis intentionality vis-à-vis intentionality
FRAME PROBLEM
Phenomenological Phenomenological OntologyOntology
DEFINITION: DEFINITION: PhenomenologyPhenomenology (Heidegger) (Heidegger)
– The systematic analysis of Being and its structuresThe systematic analysis of Being and its structures
Existential (situated, indexical)Existential (situated, indexical) Hermeneutic (reflexive)Hermeneutic (reflexive) Historical (critical)Historical (critical)
Okay, but what is ?Okay, but what is ?
Being in Being in EarlyEarly Heidegger Heidegger
NEGATIVE DEFINITIONNEGATIVE DEFINITION
Being is Being is notnot aa being being
– not spiritnot spirit– not substancenot substance– not matternot matter– not energynot energy– not informationnot information
Being is not a generic Being is not a generic predicatepredicate
POSITIVE DEFINITIONPOSITIVE DEFINITION
Being is Being is asas-ness-ness
Being is the Being is the howhow of presencing of of presencing of that which that which presencespresences
Being isBeing is
Metaphysics Metaphysics vs.vs. Ontology Ontology
MetaphysicsMetaphysics(Onto-theo-logy)(Onto-theo-logy)
– Being as the Being as the firstfirst and and most universalmost universal ground ground commoncommon to to all beingsall beings
– Being as the Being as the highesthighest ground above all ground above all beings and the beings and the ground of ground of itselfitself
OntologyOntology
(Onto-phenomeno-logy)(Onto-phenomeno-logy)
– Being as Being as alwaysalways the the being of being of aa being being
– Being as Being as specificspecific to to the being in questionthe being in question
– Being as Being as finitefinite and and dependent on dependent on DaseinDasein
Who or what is Who or what is DaseinDasein ? ?
DaseinDasein (Openness-for-Being) (Openness-for-Being)
– ““That being for That being for whomwhom Being is an issue” Being is an issue”
– DaseinDasein is is being-being-inin-the-world-the-world (in-volved) (in-volved)
NBNB: This ‘in’ is : This ‘in’ is notnot spatial but spatial but situationalsituational
– E.g. compare being-in-a-box with being-in-a-fixE.g. compare being-in-a-box with being-in-a-fix
– DaseinDasein is the condition of the is the condition of the discoverabilitydiscoverability of the beings of of the beings of the worldthe world
What is The World ?What is The World ?
The world is not the The world is not the physical physical universeuniverse
The world is not a The world is not a thingthing
The world is a “horizon” of The world is a “horizon” of encounterencounter between between DaseinDasein and beings and beings
The world is a The world is a network of meaningsnetwork of meanings
The World in The World in EarlyEarly HeideggerHeidegger
The world as a network of relations The world as a network of relations of of purposefulness purposefulness (or (or functionalityfunctionality))
Beings as Beings as equipmentequipment (ready-to-hand) (ready-to-hand)
PragmaticPragmatic conception of world conception of world
AnthropocentricAnthropocentric conception of world conception of world
E.g. The world of the E.g. The world of the studentstudent
The student and his/her world (only part of which was shown) disappears when an attempt is made to describe
them in causal, scientific terms (space-time-energy-matter)
Heidegger: Reaching the Heidegger: Reaching the parts other philosophers parts other philosophers
cannot reachcannot reach
It seems that anything and everything can It seems that anything and everything can be looked at phenomenologically, frombe looked at phenomenologically, from– historyhistory
Heidegger and the Role of the Historian, David Kosalka, www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/8579/heid.htmHeidegger and the Role of the Historian, David Kosalka, www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/8579/heid.htm
toto– highway bridgeshighway bridges
Highway Bridges and Feasts: Heidegger and Borgmann on How to Affirm Technology, H.L.Dreyfus, Highway Bridges and Feasts: Heidegger and Borgmann on How to Affirm Technology, H.L.Dreyfus, http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~frege/dreyfus/borgman.htmlhttp://socrates.berkeley.edu/~frege/dreyfus/borgman.html
toto– hip hop !hip hop !
IN THE WORLD WITH HIPHOP AND HEIDEGGER: A Philosophical Investigation into "I'm Feeling You”, Charles IN THE WORLD WITH HIPHOP AND HEIDEGGER: A Philosophical Investigation into "I'm Feeling You”, Charles Mudede, www.thestranger.com/2000-10-05/art.htmlMudede, www.thestranger.com/2000-10-05/art.html
The Question Concerning The Question Concerning ComputingComputing
DoesDoes the pragmatic (or equipmental) the pragmatic (or equipmental) interpretation of world enable us to interpretation of world enable us to determine the determine the essenceessence of of computingcomputing ? ?
OrOr is the functional interpretation of is the functional interpretation of beings (including computers and beings (including computers and computation) merely computation) merely preparatorypreparatory ? ?
Being in Being in LaterLater Heidegger Heidegger
Being as the Being as the howhow of presencing of that of presencing of that which presenceswhich presences
The The meaningmeaning of Being as of Being as intelligibilityintelligibility (“as-ness”)(“as-ness”)
The The truthtruth of Being as of Being as unconcealmentunconcealment ((AletheiaAletheia))
The The howhow of unconcealment as ... of unconcealment as ...
The Same-ing of The The Same-ing of The FourfoldFourfold
EARTH(SAVING)
SKY(RECEIVING
)
MORTALS
(INITIATING)
DIVINITIES
(AWAITING)
WORLD-ING
EREIGNIS(THE LIGHTING OF THE
WORLD)
The World-ing of The The World-ing of The WorldWorld
EARTH
SKY
MORTALS
DIVINITIES
EARTH
SKY
MORTALS
DIVINITIES
EARTH
SKY
MORTALS
DIVINITIES
The Thing-ing of The ThingThe Thing-ing of The Thing
EARTH(HOLDING)
SKY(FILLING)
MORTALS
(DRINKING)
DIVINITIES
(COMMEMORATING)
GATHERING-APPROPRIATING-STAYING
OF THE FOURFOLD
The essence of computing is by no means anything
computational (or computable)
Computing Beyond Computing Beyond ComputationComputation
If Brian Cantwell Smith is right thenIf Brian Cantwell Smith is right then
What What isis the essence of computing? the essence of computing?
Computing as ...Computing as ...
ScienceScience ? ? – Science and Reflection (1954)Science and Reflection (1954)
TechnologyTechnology ? ?– The Question Concerning Technology (1955)The Question Concerning Technology (1955)
EngineeringEngineering ? ?– Building Dwelling Thinking (1951)Building Dwelling Thinking (1951)
ArtArt ? ?– The Origin of The Work of Art (1935)The Origin of The Work of Art (1935)
Computing as Computing as TechnologyTechnology
MetaphysicalMetaphysical(causality)(causality)– Functional artifactsFunctional artifacts
OntologicalOntological(intelligibility)(intelligibility)– That which is brought-forth That which is brought-forth
via anothervia another– A way of letting unconcealA way of letting unconceal
However, the essence of technology is by no
means anything technological
Technology
Techne
Poiesis
Aletheia
Computing as Computing as EngineeringEngineering
MetaphysicalMetaphysical(causality)(causality)– Conception and Conception and
ConstructionConstruction
Dwelling
Being
Cultivation
OntologicalOntological(intelligibility)(intelligibility)– Building (unfolding), Building (unfolding),
Dwelling (preserving Dwelling (preserving the fourfold in things so the fourfold in things so as to bring forth as to bring forth locations)locations)
Building
Construction
Engineering Conception
PoetryPoetry and and PoetryPoetry
PoetryPoetry belongs to the realm of fantasy. belongs to the realm of fantasy.
PoetryPoetry, by contrast, is a “measuring” of , by contrast, is a “measuring” of man’s belonging-to (or dwelling within) man’s belonging-to (or dwelling within) the same-ing of the fourfold.the same-ing of the fourfold.
Crucially, Crucially, poetrypoetry involves involves the visible the visible inclusion of the alien (absent) in the sight inclusion of the alien (absent) in the sight of the familiar (present).of the familiar (present).
The The PoeticPoetic and The and The UnpoeticUnpoetic
““PoetryPoetry, as the authentic measuring , as the authentic measuring of the dimension of dwelling, is the of the dimension of dwelling, is the primal form of primal form of buildingbuilding.”.”
““Our Our unpoeticunpoetic dwelling, its incapacity dwelling, its incapacity to take the measure, derives from a to take the measure, derives from a curious excess of frantic measuring curious excess of frantic measuring and and calculatingcalculating.”.”
… Poetically Man Dwells … (1951)
A Tentative A Tentative AnswerAnswer
Computing as a way of presencing Computing as a way of presencing via via anotheranother– Computing as Computing as bringing-forthbringing-forth ( (poiesispoiesis))
Computing as a way of presencing Computing as a way of presencing in the in the same-ing of the fourfoldsame-ing of the fourfold– Computing as Computing as dwellingdwelling ( (poesispoesis))The essence of computing as
Poetic-Poiesis and Poietic-Poesis
Afterthoughts:Afterthoughts:World-ingWorld-ing - - The The DangerDanger
EARTH
SKY
MORTALS
DIVINITIES