Abstract

In 1969 Herbert A. Simon wrote ‘The Sciences of the Artificial’ . This work became the ontological and epistemological corner stone of research works across a wide range of disciplines that examine the development of artificial, cultural products. A systematic literature review was used to compare disciplines including design, information technology, information science, communication, creativity and games. The literature review discovered a significant overlap in the works cited across these disciplines. The Sciences of the Artificial has been used to support epistemological arguments. Less frequently, it has been employed to support anti-fundamental, anti-positivist ontological positions. As ontological positions cannot be successfully argued, pre se, the paper was used to support a range of methodological approaches that came from these anti-positivist roots. The 1969 original edition, and subsequent editions, successfully argued against the use of positivist methodologies being employed to examine artificial, cultural products. Simon’s arguments were epistemological in nature. Having successfully removed these positivist epistemological foundations from the research, What replaced them? The short answer is economics. Across this range of disciplines the measure of success and failure has been calculated in terms of income, or return on investment. Not only does this affect the individual disciplines it also provides a rationale for the continued use of the neo-Marxist perspective, employing a base/superstructure model of our culture. This paper argues in support of Simon’s original thesis, however, it also argues he did not go far enough.

Presenters

Michael M. Meany
Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Literary Humanities

KEYWORDS

Creativity, Economics, Success, Failure, Culture

Digital Media

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