The Philosophy of Design is an introduction to the fundamental philosophical issues raised by the contemporary practice of design. The first book to systematically examine design from the perspective of contemporary philosophy, it offers a broad perspective, ranging across key philosophical areas such as aesthetics, epistemology, metaphysics and ethics.The first part of the book explores central issues about the nature of design and its products, and the rationality of design methods. A central theme is that Modernist ideas, such as those offered by Loos and Gropius, provide important responses to these philosophical issues. In the second part of the book, these Modernist ideas serve as touchstones in the exploration of key issues for design, including: the place of aesthetics in design; design�s relation to personal expression; the meaning of function; and design�s relation to consumerism. The social responsibility of designers, and the impact of design practice on ethical reasoning are also discussed.Written in an accessible style, The Philosophy of Design presents a new perspective on design and a provocative reassessment of the Modernist legacy. It will engage students and designers with current philosophical debates, helping them to bring into clearer focus the meaning of contemporary design, and its unique challenges and possibilities.
Glenn Parsons is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ryerson University
AcknowledgementsIntroduction1 What is Design?1.1 Defining ‘Design’1.2 Ontological Issues1.3 Activity, Profession and Practice1.4 The Rise of the Designer2 The Design Process2.1 The Challenges of Design2.2 A Crisis of Confidence2.3 The Epistemological Problem2.4 Are Design Problems Ill-Defined?2.5 Some Responses2.6 Prestructures and Principles3 Modernism3.1 The Origins of Modernism3.2 Reinterpretations and Linkages3.3 The Failure of Modernism4 Expression4.1 The Meanings of Design4.2 Expression and Eros4.3 The Better Realization Argument4.4 Illusion and Reality4.5 An Objection5 The Concept of Function5.1 The Indeterminacy of Function5.2 Intentionalist Theories of Artefact Function5.3 Evolutionary Theories of Artefact Function5.4 Objections to the Evolutionary Theory5.5 Novelty, Design and the Epistemolocial Problem6 Function, Form and Aesthetics6.1 Can Form Follow Function?6.2 Squaring Function and Aesthetic Value6.3 Dependent Beauty6.4 Functional Beauty6.5 Good Taste in Design6.6 Bad Taste7 Ethics7.1 Applied Ethics and Design7.2 Consumerism, Needs and Wants7.3 Is Need an Empty Concept?7.4 Does Design Alter the Moral Landscape?7.5 The Designer Stands Alone?Epilogue: The Meaning of ModernismSuggestions for Further ReadingNotesReferences
"This very readable and illuminating book is a must-have for designers and the students of design."Oxford Journal