Review
Dr Jesse Josua Benjamin published a review of Ron Wakkary’s “Things We Could Design: For More-than-human Worlds” in the latest issue of the philosophy of technology journal Technē.
From the review:
“Wakkary’s book is oriented at a more expansive understanding of what design can do and how it could be understood so as to transcend the established formulas of human-centered design—and specifically, the latter’s unreflective humanism and narrow conceptual constraints of human-centered ergonomics and utility. Ultimately, Wakkary argues that the generally dominant logic of the latter (1) belies the complexity of moving and active parts (human and non-human) in the things, phenomena and practices of designing; and (2) how acknowledging the former brings opportunities for design along post-humanist lines of thinking. Opportunities towards, for instance, more sustainable, just and equitable futures through design that takes seriously the urgent need to take a more ecological view that does not place the human scale as the only or most important one to cater for.”
Find the review here.