Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Cultural Computing - Creative Power Integrating
Culture, Unconsciousness and Software
Naoko Tosa
Kyoto University,
Yoshida Nihonmatsu-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
tosa@media.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Abstract.
The author is carrying out technology studies to explore and expand
human emotions, sensibility, and consciousness by making innovative use of
artistic creativity. We develop interfaces for experiencing and expressing the
"essence of culture'' such as human feelings, ethnicity, and story. History has
shown that human cultures have common and unique forms such as behavior
and grammar. We suggest a computer model for that process and a method of
interactive expression and experiencing cultural understanding using IT called
"cultural computing". We particularly examine Japanese culture, although it is
only a small subject of computing.
Keywords:
Communication, Software, Information System, Cultural
Computing, Interactive Art.
1 Introduction
“The ethnic crisis, the urban crisis, and the education crisis are interrelated. If viewed
comprehensively all three can be seen as different facets of a larger crisis, a natural
outgrowth of man's having developed a new dimension - the cultural dimension -
most of which is hidden from view. The question is, How long can man afford to
consciously ignore his own dimension?” This phrase is from “The Hidden
Dimension” by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall, 1966.
Nowadays, computers play an important roll in various ways in our life. Cellular
phones, e-mails, websites, games as well as PCs are almost parts of our life, and they
became the daily items or media. Computers were only 'machines to calculate
something' at first, but now they are 'media for thinking and memorization support.'
Let us see the relation between traditional customs and computers. Computers are
typically used for calculation to restore something or for historical simulation.
Archiving the fading cultures with using computers are barely in the use of thinking
and memorization support, but it isn't an effective application of the ability of
computers which now treats multimedia and are connected in network. The present
ages often communicate with someone who has another cultural background, so they
are needed to understand the history of their culture and other cultures. Because the
typical way to understand them is to read the topics or to go to the museum,
understanding another culture with picking appropriate information is not so easy.
