Murphy, Peter (2013) Beautiful minds and ugly buildings: object creation, digital production and the research university: reflections on the aesthetic ecology of the mind. In: Peters, Michael A., and Besley, Tina, (eds.) The Creative University. Creative Education, 1 . Sense Publishers, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 33-47.

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Abstract

Knowledge is a form of objectivation. It involves the positing of objects in the world. Viewed from this angle, the contemporary research university is an object producer. But how well does it do this? The paper reflects on the conditions under which intellectual object production occurs. And considers whether the practices of digital and open-peer production have improved or deteriorated intellectual production? The evidence to date suggests that digital means of production reduces some of the costs associated with intellectual production. On the other hand, in the era when the digitisation of production and peer production models spread, both the quality and the seriousness of intellectual production have declined. The case example of cultural and social theory is explored against the background of a long-term multi-decade decline in the arts and the sciences. The reasons why this has happened and continues to happen are discussed. Digitisation is not culprit but it is not the corrective either. In trying to explain what might be the corrective, the paper returns to some socio-cognitive fundamentals. In particular it considers the role of 'inspiring environments' in mediating intellectual object creation. This view is in part drawn from the tradition of John Dewey, Robert Park, and George Herbert Mead. The paper will suggest that part of the reason for the measurable and chronic decline of the contemporary research university has been the widespread failure of universities in the last half century to provide an adequate aesthetic ecology of the mind.

Item ID:	27748
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-94-6209-243-3
Additional Information:	This chapter was also published as: Murphy, Peter (2014) Beautiful minds and ugly buildings: object creation, digital production and the research university: reflections on the aesthetic ecology of the mind. In Peters, Michael A., Besley, Tina, Araya, Daniel, (eds.) The New Development Paradigm: education, knowledge economy and digital futures. Peter Lang, New York, NY, USA, pp. 161-176. 978-14331-1887-6.
Date Deposited:	09 Jul 2013 03:55
FoR Codes:	13 EDUCATION > 1301 Education Systems > 130103 Higher Education @ 50% 19 STUDIES IN CREATIVE ARTS AND WRITING > 1901 Art Theory and Criticism > 190103 Art Theory @ 50%
SEO Codes:	97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970116 Expanding Knowledge through Studies of Human Society @ 100%
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