upon reading  Bogost, Ian. Alien Phenomenology I had many thoughts/questions along the way.

First things first I always struggle with readings to stay intrigued, but this reading despite its length I was able to really get into the concept which allowed me to think in depth about ideas i hadn’t really thought about before. I also see how this reading reflects our current task on describing an object in a different way.

A few quotes such as “as well as bodies of its anthropomorphic passengers” and “if things exist they do so only for us” it has allowed me firstly to visualise, as a difficult reading I also had to do extra research to find out what anthropomorphic even is? this makes the reading so much more important by creating these ties.

throughout the reading the term ontology appeared – philosophical study of existence from that we can derive object orientated ontology which puts things at the centre of being.

this posed the questions \\

whats is like to be a thing?? what does in mean to be something?? can we claim that our existence is as special as existence itself??

• i had never considered that objects could hold a sense of importance
• Obviously we as humans use things for our own benefit but perhaps it works the other way as well. when I think about it, its similar to a symbiotic relationship one can not be useful in its entirety without the other.
• I look for the nearest object – AN IRON- an iron can’t be used without a human, the object relies on a human to fulfil its purpose but likewise the ironing can’t be done without the use of the iron. So in that sense they’re both reliant on one another to complete a task.
• However even after this reading i don still struggle to understand the concept of things, in thinking that perhaps there is more to it than just an object.
• I think everything has a function and purpose (whether we know it or not) and every object is here or created for a reason and likewise we as humans have a reason to be here. I don’t know exactly what the purpose of everything is but the fact that both humans and objects have a purpose of some sort means that perhaps we can define our existence the most important. Maybe it’s all on an equal playing field? or perhaps we are the least important ?

 

another question was asked in the reading what would happen if humans were to suddenly disappear from earth

I immediately imagine an earth bound with nature where all the animals get along, and live a happy perfect existence.

perhaps there would be no destruction or sickness but perhaps there would be no growth no development or change

and perhaps their must always be a significant species in the world, this then asks another question maybe we as species all think we are significant because what if we never fully understand or look at other species from their point of view