Clive Dilnot's "The Matter of Design" explores the evolving role of design in a world increasingly dominated by the artificial. The author contends that design has transitioned from its industrial origins to become a crucial mode of mediation and reconfiguration in an era where the artificial has become the prime condition of human existence. Dilnot argues that design, as a generalized human capacity, is essential for navigating incommensurable requirements and conditions, and therefore, it surpasses technology. The study emphasizes that in the artificial, certainty is dead, and things are defined not by their being but by their configuration and possibilities. The writing considers matter no longer being other to humans, but ultimately a matter of human concern. In essence, the text examines how designing is critical for our understanding of mediation, the artificial, and ourselves in this transformed world.

Please note that the podcast covers key points from the source with synthetic voices, which may have glitches. It’s a reflective, not comprehensive, interpretation.

Dilnot, Clive. “The Matter of Design.” Design Philosophy Papers 13, no. 2 (2015): 115–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/14487136.2015.1133137.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit syntheticsynthesis.substack.com