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

A Plea From A Plea From HereHere

Is thereanyone wecan turn tofor help ?

A Response From A Response From WhereWhere

YES!But first we

need toknow that

Ontology is the study ofOntology is the study of

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 ? ?

The The TurnTurn

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

Afterthoughts:Afterthoughts: Thing-ingThing-ing - The - The Saving-PowerSaving-Power

EARTH

SKY

MORTALS

DIVINITIES

GATHERING-APPROPRIATING-STAYING

OF THE FOURFOLD