Mark Blythe
Elizabeth Buie
ABSTRACT
This paper reflects on the intersection of human-computer interaction (HCI) with techno-spirituality and science fiction (SF). The paper considers science fiction treatments of spirituality, religion and "the numinous" --- a mysterious presence that evokes fascination, awe and sometimes dread --- as stimulus for exploring techno-spiritual design through "imaginary abstracts", a form of design fiction. It presents an imaginary abstract --- a summary of a paper that has not been written about a prototype that does not exist [6] --- to explore possible user reactions to an artificial intelligence system that provides spiritual advice drawn from diverse sacred texts as relevant to the user's question. The paper argues that SF is a valuable resource for creating design fiction and may help HCI build a vocabulary for techno-spiritual experiences.
- Atwood, M. Other Worlds; SF and the Human Imagination. Doubleday, New York, NY, 2011.Google Scholar
- Bardzell, S., Bardzell, J., Forlizzi, J., Zimmerman, J. and Antanitis, J. Critical design and critical theory: the challenge of designing for provocation. Proc. DIS '12. ACM (2012), 288--297. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Banerjee, A. and Horn, M. S. Ghost hunter: parents and children playing together to learn about energy consumption. Proc. TEI'14, ACM (2014), 267--274. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Bastow, D. Otto and numinous experience. Religious Studies, 12, 2 (1976), 159--176.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Blake, W. "All Religions Are One". In Blake: the complete poems. Pearson Education, 2007.Google Scholar
- Blythe, M. Research through design fiction: narrative in real and imaginary abstracts. Proc. CHI 2014. ACM (2014). Google ScholarDigital Library
- Blythe, M., Briggs, J., Hook, J., Wright, P. and Olivier, P. Unlimited editions: three approaches to the dissemination and display of digital art. Proc. CHI 2013. ACM (2013), 139--148. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Blythe, M. and Buie, E. Digital Spirits: report of an imaginary workshop on technologies to support religious and spiritual experience.Google Scholar
- Boehner, K., Sengers, P. and Warner, S. Interfaces with the ineffable: Meeting aesthetic experience on its own terms. TOCHI, 15, 3, Article 12. ACM (2008), 29 pp. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Bowers, J. The logic of annotated portfolios: communicating the value of 'research through design'. Proc. DIS '12. ACM (2012), 68--77. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Buie, E. and Blythe, M. Spirituality: there's an app for that! (but not a lot of research). Ext. Abstracts CHI 2013, ACM (2013), 2315--2324. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Buie, E. and Blythe, M. Meditations on YouTube. Proc. DPPI '13. ACM (2013), 41--50. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Campbell, J. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Fontana Press, Waukegan, IL, 1993.Google Scholar
- Clarke, A. C. Profiles of the Future: An Inquiry into the Limits of the Possible. 1962.Google Scholar
- Consolvo, S., Everitt, K., Smith, I. and Landay, J. A. Design requirements for technologies that encourage physical activity. Proc. CHI 2006, ACM (2006), 457--66. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Dick, P. K. A Maze of Death. Doubleday, New York, NY, 1970.Google Scholar
- Dick. P. K. Galactic Pot Healer. Berkeley Medallion Books. New York 1969Google Scholar
- Dourish P. and Bell G. "Resistance is futile": reading science fiction alongside ubiquitous computing. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 18, 4 (2009), 769--778. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Dunne, T., and Raby, F. United Micro Kingdoms (UMK) Design Fiction. The Design Museum, 2013.Google Scholar
- Eagleton, T. Literary Theory (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, NJ, 1996.Google Scholar
- Eikelboom, F., Groth, P., de Boer, V. and Hollink, L. A comparison between online and offline prayer. Proc. WebSci '13. ACM (2013), 61--64. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Fassbender, E., Richards, D. and Kavakli, M. Game engineering approach to the effect of music on learning in virtual-immersive environments. Proc. CyberGames '06. ACM (2006), 224--230. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Forbis, P. A. Meeting patients' spiritual needs. Geriatric Nursing, 9, 3 (1988), 158--159.Google Scholar
- Foerst, A. Cog, a humanoid robot, and the question of the image of God. Zygon, 33, 1 (1998), 91--111Google ScholarCross Ref
- Frantova, E., Solomonova, E. and Sutton, T. Extra-personal awareness through the media-rich environment. AI & Society, 26, 2 (2010), 179--186. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Gaver, W. What should we expect from research through design? Proc. CHI 2012. ACM (2012), 937--946. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Gaver, W., Beaver, J. and Benford, S. Ambiguity as a resource for design. Proc. CHI 2003. ACM (2003), 233--240. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Gaver, W., Blythe, M., Boucher, A., Jarvis, N., Bowers, J. and Wright, P. The prayer companion: openness and specificity, materiality and spirituality. Proc. CHI 2010. ACM (2010), 2055--2064. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Gaver, W., Sengers, P., Kerridge, T., Kaye, D. and Bowers, J. Enhancing ubiquitous computing with user interpretation: field testing the home health horoscope. Proc. CHI '07. ACM (2007), 537--554. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Geraci, R. M. Robots and the sacred in science and science fiction: theological implications of artificial intelligence. Zygon, 42, 4 (2007), 961--980.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Giordano, J. and Engebretson, J. C. Neural and cognitive basis of spiritual experience: biopsychosocial and ethical implications for clinical medicine. Explore, 2, 3 (2006), 216--225.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Herzfeld, N. L. In our image: Artificial intelligence and the human spirit. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2002. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Hill, P. C., Pargament, K. I., Hood, R. W., McCullough, Jr., M. E., Swyers, J. P., Larson, D. B. and Zinnbauer, B. J. Conceptualizing religion and spirituality: points of commonality, points of departure. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 30, 1 (2000), 51--77.Google ScholarCross Ref
- James, W. The Varieties of Religious Experience, 1902Google Scholar
- Jameson, F. Archaeologies of the Future: The Desire Called Utopia and Other Science Fictions. Verso, London, 2005.Google Scholar
- Jraidi, I., Chaouachi, M. and Frasson, C. A dynamic multimodal approach for assessing learners' interaction experience. Proc. ICMI '13. ACM (2013), 271--278. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Kaye, J. and Dourish, P. Special issue on science fiction and ubiquitous computing. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 18, 4 (2014), 765--766. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Keltner, D. and Haidt, J. Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition & Emotion, 17, 2 (2003), 297--314.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Laurans, G., Desmet, P. M. A. and Hekkert, P. Assessing Emotion in Interaction: Some problems and a new approach. Proc. DPPI 2009. ACM (2009), 1--10.Google Scholar
- Marcus, A., Norman, D. A., Rucker, R., Sterling, B. and Vinge, V. Sci-fi at CHI: cyberpunk novelists predict future user interfaces. Proc. CHI 1992. ACM (1992), 435--37. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Maslow, A. H. Religions, Values, and Peak-Experiences. (E. I. F. Williams, Ed.) Ohio University Press, Columbus, OH, 1964.Google Scholar
- McGandy, M. J. Multimedia enlightenment: transcendent experiences with the help of technology. IEEE Multimedia, 13, 1 (2006), 4--8. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Morozov E. To Save Everything, Click Here: Technology, Solutionism and the urge to fix problems that don't exist. Allen Lane. Penguin 2013Google Scholar
- Muaremi, A., Seiter, J., Gravenhorst, F., Tröster, G., Bexheti, A. and Arnrich, B. Monitor Pilgrims: Prayer Activity Recognition using Wearable Sensors. BODYNETS 2013. ICST (2013), 161--165. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Newberg, A. and Newberg, S. The neuropsychology of religious and spiritual experience. In Handbook of the psychology of religion and spirituality. The Guilford Press (2005), 199--215.Google Scholar
- Numinous. Oxford English Dictionary (2014). http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/129141Google Scholar
- Otto, R. The Idea of the Holy. Japanese Religions (1923). http://www.archive.org/download/theideaoftheholy00ottouoft/theideaoftheholy00ottouoft.pdfGoogle Scholar
- Peters, T. C. The War of the worldviews: HG Wells and Scientism versus CS Lewis and Christianity. The Pilgrim's Guide: CS Lewis and the Art of Witness (D. Mills, ed.) Eerdmans, Grand Rapid, MI (1998), 203--220.Google Scholar
- Prantera, A. Conversations with Lord Byron on Perversion, 163 Years after his Lordship's Death. Jonathan Cape Ltd., London, UK, 1987.Google Scholar
- Preiss, D. PREVIEW: Meaning-Making in Prayer: A Model for the Use of Collaborative Constructivist Technology for Spiritual Engagement. Columbia University (2009). http://gradworks.umi.com/33/68/3368352.htmlGoogle Scholar
- Privette, G. Peak experience, peak performance, and flow: A comparative analysis of positive human experiences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45, 6 (1983), 1361--1368.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Purpura, S., Schwanda, V. and Williams, K. Fit4life: the design of a persuasive technology promoting healthy behavior and ideal weight. Proc. CHI 2011, ACM (2011), 423--432. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Reeves, B. and Nass, C. The media equation: How people treat computers, television, and new media like real people and places. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1997. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Rosenberg, A. Margaret Atwood on sci-fi, religion, and her love of 'Blade Runner'. The Atlantic (2011, Oct. 12).Google Scholar
- Samuels, D. "These Are the Stories That the Dogs Tell": Discourses of Identity and Difference in Ethnography and Science Fiction. Cultural Anthropology, 11, 1 (1996), 88--118.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Schouten, J. W., McAlexander, J. H. and Koenig, H. F. Transcendent customer experience and brand community. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 35, 3 (2007), 357--368.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Seligman, M. E. P. Authentic happiness: using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. Free Press, New York, NY, 2002.Google Scholar
- Seligman, M. E. P. Flourish: a new understanding of happiness and well-being -- and how to achieve them. Nicholas Brealey Publishing, London, 2001.Google Scholar
- Sheahen, L. Christopher Hitchens: Why "Religion Poisons Everything." Society of Mutual Autopsy (2010). http://www.somareview.com/christopherhitchens.cfmGoogle Scholar
- Sterling, B. Shaping things (Mediawork Pamphlet). MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 2005.Google Scholar
- Sterling, B. Fantasy prototypes and real disruption. Keynote NEXT Berlin 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VIoRYPZk68Google Scholar
- Sterling B. Patently untrue: fleshy defibrillators and synchronised baseball are changing the future. Wired (2013, Oct. 11). http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2013/10/play/patently-untrueGoogle Scholar
- Thieme, A., Balaam, M., Wallace, J., Coyle, D. and Lindley, S. Designing wellbeing. Proc. DIS '12. ACM (2012), 789--790. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Tulusan, J., Staake, T. and Fleisch, E. Providing eco-driving feedback to corporate car drivers: what impact does a smartphone application have on their fuel efficiency? Proc. UbiComp '12, ACM (2012), 212--215. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Vonnegut, K. Wampeter, Foma and Granfalloons Panther Books, London, 1985.Google Scholar
- Weizenbaum, J. ELIZA---a computer program for the study of natural language communication between man and machine. Commun. ACM, 9, 1 (1966), 36--45. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Zimmerman, J., Stolterman, E. and Forlizzi, J. An analysis and critique of research through design: towards a formalization of a research approach. Proc. DIS 2010. ACM (2010), 310--319. Google ScholarDigital Library
Index Terms
- Chatbots of the gods: imaginary abstracts for techno-spirituality research
Recommendations
Transcendhance: A Game to Facilitate Techno-Spiritual Design
CHI EA '16: Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing SystemsThis late-breaking work describes the design and application of a game to facilitate techno-spiritual design. In it I report the results of 24 interviews with people of diverse spiritual perspectives and three "Transcendhance" design game workshops ...
Pushing the Limits of Design Fiction: The Case For Fictional Research Papers
CHI '16: Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing SystemsThis paper considers how design fictions in the form of 'imaginary abstracts' can be extended into complete 'fictional papers'. Imaginary abstracts are a type of design fiction that are usually included within the content of 'real' research papers, they ...
Designing for Uncontrollability: Drawing Inspiration from the Blessing Companion
CHI '23: Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing SystemsThis paper presents an inspirational concept for companion technology design, uncontrollability, and a corresponding artefact, the Blessing Companion. Both originated from a research through design project exploring companion technologies for blessing ...
Comments