CHAPTER II. ASPECTS OF HUMAN LIFE AND EXPERIENCE WITH COMPUTERS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS II-1. THE DIVERSITY OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE Each of EwT/HCI, EMC and HLC is diverse. For example, in EwT/HCI, we can see colours on screen, we can ignore the colours used and focus on the information, we can ignore both the colours themselves and the information and focus on the overall aesthetic impact of the screen, we can ignore all these and become concerned with how inefficient the EwT/HCI seems to be (for example, a web page might be slow in downloading). For example, in EMC, we find meaning-content about plants, we might read about the way the plants grow, the colour of their flowers, the beauty of those colours, the economic value of the plant, the cultural significance, the religious significance, and so on. For example, in HLC, we might find that the reading this about the plants makes us think of those plants in a different way, we cherish it more, it forms part of our conversation with our friends, and perhaps we go so far as to set up a business to grow and sell that plant! (For the sake of variety, that uses a different example from the patient database and the computer game above, but we'll return to those.) {*** Try, at this point, to see the diversity of your own EwT/HCI, EMC, HLC in something you are accessing on the computer right now. ***} II-2.1 Aspects of Human Life and Reality All the diversity of experience in any of the three functionings are because human beings have many ways of experiencing life. We have many aspects of life. In this module we will make use of a suite of aspects of human life devised by the Dutch philosopher, Hemcan Dooyeweerd. The reason why we use this suite rather than any others is explained towards the end of the module. He proposed that there are fifteen aspects in which we function in life: # Quantitative aspect of our functioning: We functioning quantitatively, by having a certain number or amount of things (e.g. two eyes and no other number) # Spatial aspect of our functioning: We function spatially by taking up room. So does our computer. # Kinematic aspect of our functioning: We function kinematically by moving. This can be anything from the movement of our hands as we operate the keyboard and mouse, the movement of our gaze as we look at the screen and elsewhere (e.g. when someone comes into the room, we turn to look at them). (There is also movement within our bodies, such as of blood in our veins, though that is not often very relevant to us here. There is also movement within the computer, such as of the fan moving air to cool it, or of electricity in the wires and components.) # Physical aspect of our functioning: We function physically by using energy, and exerting forces e.g. on the seat on which we are sitting or on the piece of plastic that is the mouse. # Biotic (organic) aspect of our functioning: We function biotically as we breathe, digest food, etc., and in various other life functions. Our bodies have organs, each with a different purpose or capability. # PsyEwT/HCIc (sensory) aspect of our functioning: We function psychically (or psychologically) in seeing, hearing, feeling, responding, having emotions, etc. # Analytical aspect of our functioning: We function analytically by making distinctions, by forming concepts of things in our minds, or by trying to clarify our thoughts. # Formative aspect of our functioning: We function formatively when we shape or control or plan things - we might shape a lump of clay to make a pot, shape marks on paper to write or draw, shape our thoughts and concepts into coherent ideas, shape words when we speak or write, shape social groups or institutions, plan our spending, and so on. The formative aspect is closely linked with technology and technique. With convenience, with achieving things. With deliberate intention. # Lingual aspect of our functioning: We function lingually when we make notes, make signs, scribble memos, and also when we speak or listen and write or read. # Social aspect of our functioning: We function socially when we treat other people as people rather than things, being either friendly or hostile, and either giving or withholding respect. We function socially when we recognise role or status in a group or institution. Concerned with agreement among people, e.g. standards. # Economic aspect of our functioning: We function economically when we manage limited resources (e.g. of money, time, raw materials, etc.) For example, in an exam if we either do or do not spend too long on one question, this is an issue of the economic aspect. # Aesthetic aspect of our functioning: We function aesthetically when we enjoy something or find it interesting or boring, or when we find something funny, or when we find something beautiful, or when we create any of these, or when we create musical harmony, and so on. Also when we create harmony in life. # Juridical aspect of our functioning: We function juridically when we try to ensure that someone or something get their due (or conversely, when we cheat them of what is due to them). Rights and responsibilities are issues within the juridical aspect. So are laws and legal systems. # Ethical aspect of our functioning: We function ethically when we go beyond what is due, and give of ourselves, sacrificially. We function ethically when we are generous without expecting reward. Ethical is not just right versus wrong: the Ethical aspect is an aspect of attitude which is either self-giving or selfishness. # Faith aspect of our functioning (sometimes called the pistic aspect or certitudinal aspect): We function in the faith aspect when we believe something, when we are committed and loyal to something, when we have a vision of who we are. The faith aspect expresses itself in at least three ways: - In day to day life, we place trust in things or people, make assumptions; these affect our every action in relation to HUC (EwT/HCI, EMC, HLC). - More deeply, we live and work according to a worldview, which involves a vision of who we are, what reality is like and what is the meaning of life. These affect, at a deep level, how we go about using ICT, what we expect of it, what we aspire to. They also affect the way designers of ICT decide what to include and exclude. - Religious worship is also a functioning in the faith aspect, but would not normally be relevant to HUC except as content (EMC). II-2.2 Multi-aspectual Human Functioning Aspects are spheres of meaning. In each aspect things are meaningful in a different way. For example, consider what you are doing now, reading this. All human living involves functioning in every aspect simultaneously. You are doing several things at the same time, each in a different sphere of meaning. For example: » You are reading. To say that is meaningful in the lingual aspect. » You are probably reading this for the purpose of eventually satisfying the requirements of the degree course. "Satisfying requirements" is a concept that is meaningful in the juridical aspect. » You see yourself as a student (or whatever you are). Seeing yourself as something is believing you are that thing (at least for now). That is the faith aspect. » As you are reading this, you are looking at the page or screen - psychic aspect. » You are also breathing to stay alive - biotic aspect. That's five of the aspects in which you are functioning. These five aspects are just five different ways of seeing your simple task of reading this - or, if you like, different 'levels' of your activity. If you examine yourself closely, you will probably find almost all the other aspects, especially the later ones. These aspects, these ways of being meaningful, cannot be explained in temcs of each other. {*** Exercise: As you get to know the aspects, begin to look at whatever you are doing in everyday life; you will be surprised how many aspects what you are doing has. ***} II-2.3 Aspects of Using ICT Likewise, when you use ICT, such as your mobile phone or a database, you are functioning in all aspects. Here are some examples of the nurse using the database from the Introduction (with some extra imagination added!): Aspect Examples Quant've Number of patients in DB; one patient on screen; Number of boxes on screen Spatial Layout of boxes on screen; size of each box; Can nurse reach the patient to hold their arm while looking at the screen? Kinematic How far to walk to get drug for patient Physical Last recorded blood pressure of patient; Actual B.P. of patient Organic What patient is in hospital for; Operating this user interface gives nurse RSI (repetitive strain injury) Psychic The screen is dim, can hardly see it; The patient is in constant pain; nurse feels for them Analytic The identification number tells the system who the patient is; nurse is analysing the patient to diagnose their real problem; nurse can hardly distinguish one field on the screen from another Formative The system helps nurse plan the analysis procedure; For some reason the patient ID number is not the first field but half way through the fields on the screen (how inconvenient!) Lingual Nurse explains some of the data to patient; nurse enters data from what patient replies Social Nurse tries to be friendly with patient; Nurse has limited access rights on system to which data s/he can change, whilst doctors have full rights Economic Nurse has limited time with patient (little time to chat and care); Screen seems cramped with too much information; According to records, patient has had nearly the max amount of pain killer for the day so can be given no more Aesthetic The system is frustrating to use; But nurse enjoys joking with patients about it Juridical The information in the database must be accurate and relevant; Nurse must give correct treatment for patient Ethical Nurse wants to give more than merely correct treatment, and adds extra notes into system Pistic Nurse believes patients are worth caring for; System designers saw the nurses as merely cogs in the machine of the hospital and so the system does not make it easy for them to care for patients. Notice what a mixture this is! Some are aspects of EwT/HCI, some are aspects of EMC, some are aspects of HLC. But - you will probably agree - nearly all of them speak of the actual, everyday experience of a nurse using an IS. {*** Discuss the above, to work out which are EwT/HCI, which are EMC, which are HLC. ***} II-2.4 Some Examples That might sound very good, but how does it relate to information systems? It is the aim of this module to explore that. However, just to let you see how useful an aspectual analysis can be, we will consider three examples. One is EwT/HCI, one EMC and one HLC. II-Example 1: Aspects of "Technology lets you down!" Here's an example from real life. As a visiting teacher, my wife had a DVD to play in class. The class teacher pressed the Open button on the DVD, but it would not move. (Note that 'user interface' is not just screen and speakers, but also these kinds of thing.) She kept on pressing, explaining it was 'sometimes' difficult, but it would not open. So it looked like the DVD presentation could not be given. Another teacher said it was the same on her computer. Eventually, the thing opened and she put her DVD in. This was the physical and organic aspects. But the presentation was just shadows moving on the screen, almost unable to be seen, and was unusable (this is psychic and analytic aspect). So the quality of teaching of the children was impaired (formative aspect of trying to teach) - but this latter relates to HLC (see below) not EwT/HCI. Her comment, indicating the juridical aspect of what is due to children: "Technology lets you down!" II-Example 2: Use of a Knowledge-Based System The ELSIE system was used by quantity surveyors to help them set a budget for new office developments. As a knowledge based system it encapsulated human expertise on how to do this, including knowledge of, for example, different kinds of foundations, of walls, of roofs, of services, etc. The user would answer around three dozen questions about the proposed building, and ELSIE would use its expertise to calculate a suitable cost. It would then provide a detailed explanation of what assumptions it made in arriving at that cost and allow the user to override them or to enter new data. It was particularly successful in the late 1980s, reducing the time taken to produce a budget from 2 weeks to about an hour and altering the relationship between the surveyor and their client from one of expert-novice to two equal partners working towards a shared goal. For more on this, see Appendix 1 or chapter IV of Basden [2008]. There you will find Table 1, which shows aspects of use of ELSIE - aspects of EwT/HCI, aspects of EMC (called ERC there) and aspects of HLC. II-Example 2: Aspects of a Major IS Failure In Appendix 1 is an account of a major IS failure. It exhibits many aspects. {*** Exercise: Read the account of the Major IS Failure in Appendix 1. Examine each phrase of the excerpt cited there from Mitev's account, and decide in which aspect it is meaningful. For example "irate customers" is psychic aspect because irate means angry, which is an emotion. As a clue, you might be able to find approximately the following: Quantitative: 2 occurrences Spatial: 1 occurrence Kinematic: 1 occurrences Physical: 0 occurrences Biotic/Organic: 0 occurrences Sensitive/Psychic: 3 occurrences Analytical: 1 occurrence Formative: 2 occurrences Lingual: 2 occurrences Social: 0 occurrences Economic: 5 occurrences Aesthetic: 2 occurrences Juridical: 5 occurrences Ethical: 0 occurrences Pistic: 2 occurrences ***} II-2.5 Aspects with EwT/HCI, EMC, HLC As you can see in the aspects of nurses' HUC above, in each of everyday EwT/HCI, EMC, HLC there is immense diversity. Does each of these human engagements have only some aspects but not others? Not so! Each human engagement - EwT/HCI, EMC, HLC - exhibits every aspect. To put it round the other way, each aspect expresses itself in each of EwT/HCI, EMC, HLC. For example, in the computer game mentioned in the Introduction: II-Psychic Apsect: All three can involve Feeling and emotion. For example: » You feel as you push the mouse: you feel the pressure of the mouse on your hand, and you get a bit annoyed that it seems jerky today. This is feeling in EwT/HCI. » You feel annoyed in your fighting the dragon that you missed with your arrow. This is feeling in EMC. » You feel annoyed that you missed the train, or have to wait for the doctor. This is feeling in HLC. II-Economic Aspect: All three can involve resource issues (e.g. time). For example: » EwT/HCI resources: You are downloading the game from the Internet and it takes time, or the patient database is held elsewhere and it seems very slow today. Another EwT/HCI resource is limited screen size. » EMC resources: You have only a short time in which to kill the dragon; if you do not act fast enough, it will kill you. In the patient database, perhaps the patient's drug treatment is nearing its end, so you have limited time in which to act concerning the drug. » HLC resources: You have to waste time waiting for the doctor. You find you have wasted time and missed the train. So the picture we have here has two dimensions, and may be expressed as a two-dimensional table as Table 1. This shows the aspects of use of the ELSIE expert system, which is described in Appendix 1 (Case Studies) under 'The Case of Elsie: A Small IS Success'. Table 1. Aspects of Use of ELSIE. (Note: 'ERC' is what we now call 'EMC'; the table is taken from the book 'Philosophical Frameworks for Understanding Information Systems' [Basden 2008].) {*** Exercise: Best done in a group, with discussion. Find each aspect in each of EwT/HCI, ERC, HLC of a computer game or your use of Twitter or a social networking site, or of any other IT of your choice, and make up a similar table. ***} 3. WHY ASPECTS? Why do we consider these aspects? That is: Does this above not seem rather too complex, especially up-front like this? What do aspects do for us? What are the benefits of using aspects? How can we analyse aspects in pfactice? Let us consider these questions in turn. II-3.1 Grouping the Aspects There are two types of complexity: the complexity of the real world, which it is usually necessary for us to face head-on, and complexity which we unnecessarily introduce because we are thinking about reality in a false way. If Dooyeweerd is correct about the aspects (and there are good reasons for thinking he was not far wrong, which are discussed in the final chapter) then these are the necessary aspects of everyday life. In fact, it is usually the case that when we start out with an over-simplified view, we end up making things more complex than they need to be. It is better to face the complexity right from the start. However we can reduce the complexity of the list of aspects by grouping them. The first three aspects are the mathematical aspects, and are usually investigated via mathematical disciplines: arithmetic, algebra, calculus, geometry, topology and kinematics. » Quantitative - quantities » Spatial - space » Kinematic - movement These mathematical aspects provide the means of measuring things. The physical, biotic and psychic aspects are aspects of, respectively, inert stuff, living things (plants) and sentient things (animals). » Physical - Characteristic of all material and energy » Biotic (Organic) - Characteristic of all living things » Psychic - Characteristic of all sentient things The remaining aspects are the human aspects. But they are split into two: the individual and the social. First are the aspects of the human individual, which are aspects of human freedom: » Analytic - I can freely focus my attention on anything I like, and distinguish it from its surroundings. » Formative - I can shape things creatively, and not just by instinct (birds build nests by instinct) » Lingual - I can set down my thoughts by signs and symbols, so that they remain separate from myself; e.g. my notes to myself. Then the social aspect itself: » Social - cooperation, respect, setting up institutions, shared background understanding (called 'lifeworld' by some philosophers) Then the aspects which depend on, and are deeply affected by the social group to which we belong, and the background understand we share with it: » Economic - sharing and managing resources with joint carefulness; we need social activity in order to do this » Aesthetic - style, harmony, fun, humour, beauty, art; we need to be economic rather than wasteful to be good art » Juridical - justice, injustice, legal systems, policing systems; » Ethical - self-giving and generosity to others, going beyond what is due, or self-interest and damaging competition; we need to know what is due to someone if we are to go beyond it. » Faith - commitment and loyalty, vision, creed and religion; we need to give of ourselves if we are to be committed. {*** Refer back to the above groups to help you understand what the aspects are. ***} II-3.2 What Aspects Are and Do So far we have treated aspects as mere categories, but they are a lot more than that. Understanding this can help us understand them better. II-3.2.1 Aspects are Different Ways in which things are Meaningful Aspects are spheres of meaning. In each aspect is a constellation of things that gain their meaning or purpose in temcs of the aspect. For example saying that somebody is a policeman is saying something about him that is meaningful in the juridical aspect, saying that he plays golf says something meaningful in the aesthetic aspect, saying that he is middle-income is in the economic aspect, saying that he writes reports well is in the lingual aspect, and saying that he has a loud voice is in the psychic aspect, and so on. Aspects are ways in which we function, they are types of activity we do. For example: Quantitative I am one; you and I together are two Spatial I am here, you are there Kinematic We move Physical We exert force Biotic (Organic) We eat, breathe Psychic We see, hear, feel, move Analytic We distinguish and differentiate things Formative We shape and form things and plan Lingual We speak, write, etc. Social We relate to others and respect them Economic We conserve and manage Aesthetic We beautify things, make jokes, play Juridical We work for justice Ethical We serve others and do things for them Faith We commit ourselves to others, to beliefs, to courses of action, to our God. II-3.2.2 Inter-aspect Dependency Later aspects depend on earlier ones. This can help us understand the order among them. Quantitative (Does not depend on any other aspect) Spatial Spatial size a kind of amount Kinematic Cannot have movement without space Physical Cannot have physics or chemistry without movement and space Biotic (Organic) Cannot have life without physical-chemical processes like solution and diffusion Psychic Cannot have feeling, sensing, memory and other mental activity unless you are alive Analytic Cannot conceptualise, nor make distinctions, unless you have mental activity Formative Cannot form things unless we can conceptualise them Lingual Cannot make utterances (spoken or written) unless we can form them Social Cannot relate to others very well, cannot respect them, and cannot form social institutions, unless we can communicate Economic Cannot share and manage resources in the fullest way unless we can relate to others Aesthetic Cannot produce good art or humour or sport unless we manage resources carefully; "Less is more in art" [C.S. Lewis] Juridical Cannot maintain justice unless we have a holistic picture Ethical Cannot go beyond what is due unless we know what is due Faith Cannot commit ourselves without self-giving. This is why, for example, the post-social aspects all depend on the social. II-3.2.3 Aspects are Distinct Types of Good (or Bad) Aspects are spheres of law or normativity. Normativity is about good and bad. Each aspect after the physical defines a particular way of being good or bad, something to be sought and something to be avoided - and they apply in all three of EwT/HCI, ERC, HLC, and other activities of life: Biotic (Organic) Good = health; Bad = disease Psychic Good = alertness, mental health; Bad = sensory deprivation Analytic Good = clarity; Bad = confusion Formative Good = creativity; Bad = destruction, chaos Lingual Good = undertandability; Bad = misunderstanding Social Good = respect, friendship; Bad = disrespect, enmity Economic Good = frugality; Bad = waste, squandering Aesthetic Good = harmony, fun, beauty; Bad = disharmony, boredom, ugliness Juridical Good = justice; Bad = injustice Ethical Good = generosity and self-giving; Bad = selfishness and self-centredness Faith Good = loyalty, vision, courage, faith; Bad = disloyalty, lack of vision, cowardice, infidelity. As you can see, there are many ways in which something can be good or bad; in fact, something can be good in one aspect but bad in another. With these we will be able to assess the quality or otherwise of EwT/HCI, EMC, HLC. II-3.3 Benefits of Thinking About Aspects There are several benefits of seeing anything - including EwT/HCI, EMC and HLC - in temcs of aspects. Perhaps the most immediate benefits is that it can help us separate out issues that should be separated, so as to reduce confusion in our thinking and analysis. For example: In thinking about a website it is often useful to separate out the aesthetic issues from the juridical issues of how well it covers the information that is appropriate. For example: In thinking about a business, it is useful to separate out the financial issues from the social ones of whether people relate well to each other. Otherwise, we find ourselves focusing on one issue at the expense of the others. Thinking aspectually can help avoid category errors in our thinking and reasoning. For example "It will sell well because it is technically advanced" is a false logic that has caused the demise of many companies. Selling well is a social and economic matter, while technically advanced is a formative matter. Separating out the aspects can allow something to be good and bad in different ways. For example, a website can be nice and clear to read because it has a large black font on light background (psychic aspect) but it can look terrible (aesthetic aspect). Thinking aspectually can help us avoid overlooking important issues. Frequently we take something for granted, but if we run through the aspects, checking each in turn, we can highlight the one we take for granted. Separating out the aspects can help us understand errors. See EwT/HCI especially. Finally, in Dooyeweerd's suite of aspects, each aspect centres on something that we can grasp with our intuition. Thinking aspectually becomes natural after a time - persist with it! II-3.4 Aspectual Analysis Aspectual analysis involves noting the ways in which each aspect expresses itself in the situation being analysed, often seeking balance. Here are a few, which we will use during the module. » Seeing the aspects of a situation or thing. For example, you look at what you are doing now and try to see in what ways each aspect is meaningful in describing what you are doing. Another example is to analyse a text, and see what is the main aspect that gives meaning to each phrase. See Appendix 1, Major IS Failure, for an example. » Analysis of quality. This is similar to seeing the aspects of a situation or thing, but attends to the good and bad of each aspect. Sometimes it can be useful to draw the results as a double-side bar chart; see 'Aspect Tree'. This is a double-sided bar chart which is very good for showing both good and bad together, such as aspects of success and failure of an IS, or benefit and detrimental impact. This is shown in the HLC chapter in section §3.3. » Using aspects as a checklist. Here we look to see whether any aspects are being overlooked, or whether any are being given undue importance. This involves identifying exactly what we have in each aspect, and looking for aspects that are either under- or over-represented. Its use is illustrated in the EwT/HCI chapter to evaluate Web Design Guidelines. II-4.7 CONCLUSION The benefits of this framework is that it not only enables but encourages us to address a wide range of issues sensitively and in new ways. Yet it also provides the means to examine each in depth, fully aware of all the other issues. So this framework will help form more useful guidelines to get the best out of IS, and will reduce the detrimental impact of unexpected repercussions of IS use. It is an ethical framework because it provides a broader understanding of what is to be sought or avoided. It is holistic because it provides a means to see the points of contact and conflict between areas. Some links were made to other areas, ensuring coherence with them. This framework does not necessarily replace others such as those by Walsham [2001] and Winograd and Flores [1986], but can critique, underpin and enrich them. Copyright (c) Andrew Basden & Janice Whatley. 20 September 2008, 21 September 2009, 20 September 2010, 5 October 2011, 14 September 2012.