Fifteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

What are the relations between philosophy of design and philosophy at large? Philosophy of design can draw on insights from other fields of philosophy, like ancient Greek and Chinese philosophy. Can these ancient philosophies also offer a new insight to a more general philosophy of design? Moreover, can results from the philosophy of design be put to use in contemporary design practice, by leading us towards better artefacts, better design methods and, especially, better ethics for the creation of a more ethical society? We see design reflected in countless artefacts with which we furnish and sustain our environment and even our bodies; no doubt design shapes our lives just as much as science and technology – or even more so. But what shapes design? Design may be seen, presumably, as significantly depending on technological and scientific knowledge, but it cannot be understood in terms of science and technology alone. The design process is related to the creation of objects (artefacts) and this process of creation of the “invisible” gives to the artefacts a duality of meanings. Designers, in fact, talk about what they design as if they already were real artefacts to talk about.