Cybernetic Musings on Open Form(s): Learning to float

Description

The second-order cybernetics approach to design emphasises designers who are embedded in their design process. Yet, as second-order cybernetics, in general, conceives of human beings as creators of their worlds, the design process situation can be considered representative of all life situations. Second-order cybernetics sees every human being as an agent participant engaged in the making of worlds.

This presentation suggests designers could learn something important from design cybernetics when conceiving design methodologies for the era of the post-Anthropocene. It further proposes that we might be able to advance the development of these methodologies if we compare the cybernetics approach to design with another approach found in the history books of Chinese culture. The comparison might clarify ideas. Significantly, Chinese landscape poetry and landscape painting, and, in extension to this, Chinese classical garden design, emphasise elements that are also present in the cybernetics discourse: circularity, a floating observer, and the continuity of observer and environment. The presentation argues that these ideas are the conditions for creating works that permit future agents to act from within to initiate change. It further argues that these ideas are also the conditions for developing any more-than-human approach to design. The presentation concludes with an example of a public art installation that can be seen as translating some of these ideas.

Period	Oct 2022
Event title	Relating Systems Thinking and Design 2021 Symposium, 11th annual symposium of the Systemic Design Association
Event type	Conference
Location	Brighton, United KingdomShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International