In our everyday activities we use material objects in different shapes and forms to solve various practical problems. We may use a knife to tighten a screw, turn an old washing machine drum into a fireplace, use the edge of a kitchen countertop to open a bottle, or place a hammer on the puncture patch glued to a bike's inner tube to exert pressure on the patch until the glue dries. How should we identify these objects? What functions do they have?

If we want to understand the role which material objects play in our everyday activities, we need to
move away from universal identifications of objects. This is because universal identifications are not sensitive to contextual differences and cannot describe how each individual user connects to their surrounding objects in an infinite variety of contexts. Problem Solving Technologies provides a user-friendly understanding of technological objects. This book develops a framework to characterise and categorize technological objects at the level of users' subjective experiences.


About the Author

Sadjad Soltanzadeh is a researcher at the Asser Institute, University of Amsterdam.

Reviews

As technology continues to dominate our lives in ever more invasive ways, it is imperative that we improve our understanding of it. Soltanzadeh's thought-provoking study is a further welcome and important step. His problem-solving account of technology is clearly and persuasively argued. It should prove valuable to researchers, students and anyone interested in the current direction of technological development.

-- John Weckert, Professor of Computer Ethics, Charles Sturt University



Book Information
ISBN 9781538157879
Author Sadjad Soltanzadeh
Format Hardback
Page Count 218
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 526g
Dimensions(mm) 228mm * 160mm * 21mm