System: The Shaping of Modern Knowledge (Infrastructures)

The role that "system" has played in the shaping and reshaping of modern knowledge, from Galileo and Newton to our own "computational universe." A system can describe what we see (the solar system), operate a computer (Windows 10), or be made on a page (the fourteen engineered lines of a sonnet). In this book, Clifford Siskin shows that system is best understood as a genre — a form that works physically in the world to mediate our efforts to understand it. Indeed, many Enlightenment authors published works they called "system" to compete with the essay and the treatise. Drawing on the history of system from Galileo's "message from the stars" and Newton's "system of the world" to today's "computational universe," Siskin illuminates the role that the genre of system has played in the shaping and reshaping of modern knowledge. Previous engagements with systems have involved making them, using them, or imagining better ones. Siskin offers an innovative perspective by investigating system itself. He considers the past and present, moving from the "system of the world" to "a world full of systems." He traces the turn to system in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and describes this primary form of Enlightenment as a mediator of political, cultural, and social modernity — pointing to the moment when people began to "blame the system" for working both too well ("you can't beat the system") and not well enough (it always seems to "break down"). Throughout, his touchstones are: what system is and how it has changed; how it has mediated knowledge; and how it has worked in the world. A System Can Describe What We See (the Solar System), Operate A Computer (windows 10), Or Be Made On A Page (the Fourteen Engineered Lines Of A Sonnet). In This Book, Clifford Siskin Shows That System Is Best Understood As A Genre—a Form That Works Physically In The World To Mediate Our Efforts To Understand It. Indeed, Many Enlightenment Authors Published Works They Called “system” To Compete With The Essay And The Treatise. Drawing On The History Of System From Galileo’s “message From The Stars” And Newton’s “system Of The World” To Today’s “computational Universe,” Siskin Illuminates The Role That The Genre Of System Has Played In The Shaping And Reshaping Of Modern Knowledge. Previous Engagements With Systems Have Involved Making Them, Using Them, Or Imagining Better Ones. Siskin Offers An Innovative Perspective By Investigating System Itself. He Considers The Past And Present, Moving From The “system Of The World” To “a World Full Of Systems.” He Traces The Turn To System In The Seventeenth And Eighteenth Centuries, And Describes This Primary Form Of Enlightenment As A Mediator Of Political, Cultural, And Social Modernity—pointing To The Moment When People Began To “blame The System” For Working Both Too Well (“you Can’t Beat The System”) And Not Well Enough (it Always Seems To “break Down”). Throughout, His Touchstones Are: What System Is And How It Has Changed; How It Has Mediated Knowledge; And How It Has Worked In The World.-- Past And Present : Fron The System Of The World To A World Full Of System: Engaging System ; Histories For Systems -- Mediating Knowledge : System And The Fate Of Enlightenment: The Project Of Enlightenment (master Systems) ; Disciplinarity (embedded And Specialized Systems) -- Connecivities : System And The Instituting Of Modernity: Blaming The System : Instituting The Political ; Writing Upon System : Instituting Culture ; Secretly Seeking System : Instituting The Social. Clifford Siskin. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book illuminates the role that “system” has played in the shaping and reshaping of modern knowledge. System can describe what we see, as with Galileo’s sighting of Jupiter’s moons, operate a computer, or be made on a page or screen like a sonnet or a letter. Starting in the seventeenth century, more and more people wrote and published works that they named and titled “system”—turning system into one of the forms, along with competitors such as treatises and histories, that filled the Enlightenment with the work of writing. I identify features of the genre of system, such as its scalability, that explain why it has been so essential to efforts to know the world for so long. Beginning with Galileo’s “message” from the stars and Bacon’s turn from scholasticism, my argument tracks system in its many intellectual and social incarnations, from Newton’s “system of the world” and the proliferating systems that generated Enlightenment and the modern disciplines and institutions that emerged from it to Darwin’s algorithmic system of survival and our own plethora of new uses for, and kinds of, system—including network, nervous, computing, and communication systems, as well as systems theory, self-organizing systems, and system professionals. It concludes by tracking system to its new position in what is being called the “computational universe”—one in which system generates the world it helps us to know. We may then we be entering a new chapter in the shape of knowledge from the Enlightenment with system in a newly performative role. « A system can describe what we see (the solar system), operate a computer (Windows 10), or be made on a page (the fourteen engineered lines of a sonnet). In this book, Clifford Siskin shows that system is best understood as a genre -- a form that works physically in the world to mediate our efforts to understand it. Indeed, many Enlightenment authors published works they called "system" to compete with the essay and the treatise. Drawing on the history of system from Galileo's "message from the stars" and Newton's "system of the world" to today's "computational universe," Siskin illuminates the role that the genre of system has played in the shaping and reshaping of modern knowledge. Previous engagements with systems have involved making them, using them, or imagining better ones. Siskin offers an innovative perspective by investigating system itself. He considers the past and present, moving from the "system of the world" to "a world full of systems." He traces the turn to system in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and describes this primary form of Enlightenment as a mediator of political, cultural, and social modernity -- pointing to the moment when people began to "blame the system" for working both too well ("you can't beat the system") and not well enough (it always seems to "break down"). Throughout, his touchstones are: what system is and how it has changed; how it has mediated knowledge; and how it has worked in the world. »-- Résumé de l'éditeur A system can describe what we see (the solar system), operate a computer (Windows 10), or be made on a page (the fourteen engineered lines of a sonnet). In this book, Clifford Siskin shows that system is best understood as a genre--a form that works physically in the world to mediate our efforts to understand it. Indeed, many Enlightenment authors published works they called "system" to compete with the essay and the treatise. Drawing on the history of system from Galileo's "message from the stars" and Newton's "system of the world" to today's "computational universe," Siskin illuminates the role that the genre of system has played in the shaping and reshaping of modern knowledge. Previous engagements with systems have involved making them, using them, or imagining better ones. Siskin offers an innovative perspective by investigating system itself. He considers the past and present, moving from the "system of the world" to "a world full of systems." He traces the turn to system in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and describes this primary form of Enlightenment as a mediator of political, cultural, and social modernity--pointing to the moment when people began to "blame the system" for working both too well ("you can't beat the system") and not well enough (it always seems to "break down"). Throughout, his touchstones are: what system is and how it has changed; how it has mediated knowledge; and how it has worked in the world.-- Provided by Publisher