Thesis Response No. 1
2008 February 19
Project: Pick a potential thesis issue you want to explore and respond to it.
Theory: I’m very interested in how the virtual and the physical realms trigger affect each other and effect changes or events in each other via ongoing feedback mechanisms. It boggles my mind to think about how many (physical) actions we take in the real world as a result of (virtual) information fed to us through networks, where data exist as light and are literally weightless. How do flashes of light become manifested in the physical, experiential world?
My theory is that the user is the point of intersection (and interaction) between the physical and virtual realms, between objects and information. The Earth enacts gravity and other physical effects. Computing systems enact data transfer and processing. But only sentient beings can find meaning in both, because they can understand what gravity means and understand what data transfer is by extrapolating outwards, taking what they grasp about these physical/virtual systems and applying them to hypothetical scenarios. I can imagine what would happen if I threw a glass vase up in the air: It would fall back down, hit the ground, and probably break into pieces. I’ve never thrown a vase before, but I can model and predict that outcome with near-certainty because I have inferred the rules that govern the system.
So, as a user/sentient being, my job is to intepret inputs, deduce the rules of the system (that would produce those inputs), decide on a course of action, and then physically manifest that action. In the case of a digital system, my physical output (throwing a vase, pressing a key, clicking the mouse) is input for the virtual system, which responds according to its own rules, and on and on the feedback loop goes.
I don’t think this project was extremely successful at addressing those ideas, but it’s interesting nonetheless. Try it out, and see if you can (1) deduce its rules and then (2) use them toward your own ends. Post a comment below with your findings.
Credits: Word list courtesy of mieliestronk.com.
Hmmm, I see how typing a letter that exists in the word gives you another word, but the next word that appears seems to be random. Is that right?
Comment by michael — 2008 February 20 @ 10:38 pm
Yes, as long as you’re holding down the key, it will cycle through a dictionary of random words starting with that letter.
My next step on this one is to modify it to be a puzzle, so that you try and work your way through the entire alphabet (which can be tricky, since you can only use letters in the currently active word).
Comment by Scott — 2008 February 21 @ 9:54 am
This was fun. It took awhile for me to get that the letter had to be in the word before it was “right.” For awhile I thought there were a certain number of words in the rotation. Then I figured out that it must be some random offering from a significantly long list.
Comment by Pat — 2008 February 21 @ 11:38 pm
Delighted to see “defenestration” in the list.
Comment by Karen — 2008 February 22 @ 1:52 pm