owsome • Your Computer Really Is a Part of You

Your Computer Really Is a Part of You | Wired Science

“Chemero’s experiment, published March 9 in Public Library of Science, was designed to test one of Heidegger’s fundamental concepts: that people don’t notice familiar, functional tools, but instead “see through” them to a task at hand, for precisely the same reasons that one doesn’t think of one’s fingers while tying shoelaces. The tools are us.

Asked whether computer malfunction — say, the iPhone’s notorious keyboard lag — could thusly be viewed as a discontinuity in our selves, Chemero said, “Yes, that’s exactly what it is.”

This is why it’s so disconcerting when Tumblr is down. I’ve had a strange run of forgetfulness the last two weeks - I think it’s mostly due to all the crap I’m trying to do at once - and I’ve left my computer charger at home a few times. Even though I can use one of the newsroom computers to access almost everything I need, it’s still upsetting when it happens. I guess it’s nice to know I’m not the only one who feels a little lost when I can’t use my computer.

Source: arielwaldman