Authors:

 Wainhaus, Horacio.

Title:

 ARTIFICE AND NATURE: ON THE IDEA OF INNOVATION

Keywords:

 Artificiality / Natural / Heuristics / Model / Innovation

Abstract:

 The big transformation, the technical, cultural and aesthetic, revolutions entail substantially the change on the ideas of Òwhat is oldÓ and Òwhat is newÓ. The newness seems to derive into conditions of existence absolutely different from those observed in the paradigm of modernity. Even concepts such as materiality or tangibility are driven into radically different systems of sense and ways of utilization. However, the existence of a Òsecond natureÓ, linked to the increasing presence of the artificial environment in our daily lives, is just another instance on the rite of evolution: considered in its whole, the advance of artificial environment Ñwidely considered it has been problematized since 17th century, on the animal-machine discussion, or by Babbage, Darwin or even Freud 1Ñ is not very far from biological evolution. We can state that Òwhat is newÓ reflects such condition because it introduces components which formerly in a previous stage were not existing, but specially because it modifies and reorganizes what already exists. Ezio Manzini states that undervaluing one of these two aspects may take us to two kind of errors, one opposed to the other. The first of them Òconsists in crossing a deeply transformed environment without the recognition of the newness factors (as in reality, most of what we observe already exists for a long time) and so, in adopting inadequate criteria to comprehend itÓ. 2 By the contrary, the second kind of error induces to the extreme of thinking that what is new may be radically different, being featured Òas a negation, or an elimination of everything that preceded itÓ. 3 In this context, Heuristics validates the possibility of analyzing a system of entities, a legal frame that could work as a possible model of the experience of producing shapes in our times. In order to develop the model we are going to work on a series of theoretical concepts linked among them: project, utility, intention and formalization. These concepts articulate to the artifice-nature axis due to: a. their transversal character and b. their potential to radically penetrate and modify from within the processes of production and consumption.

Notes
1. See Mazlish, Bruce.La cuarta discontinuidad. Madrid, Alianza, 1996.
2. Manzini, Ezio. Artefactos. Madrid, Experimenta,1995, P‡g. 26.
3. Ibid..
Wainhaus, Horacio. wainhaus@interlink.com.ar Universidad de Buenos Aires Horacio Wainhaus (UBA 1986 graduate) is Titular Professor of Morphology and Acting Professor of Heuristics in the School of Arquitecture, Design and Urbanism of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). In addition, he integrates the Cabinet of Heuristics (under the direction of Prof. Gaston Breyer), and is a Directive Counselor in that school. His areas of interest are the theoretical status of the Art and the Design. He has presented several papers in international congresses. He is editor in chief of Cuadernos de la Forma and directive member of the Society of Morphological Studies of Argentina. Since 1992, he publishes Referencias en la obra de Lacan. Currently, he is preparing the project of Morphia, publication that will be released in april of 1999.