LIFE: A Transdisciplinary Inquiry

LIFE: A Transdisciplinary Inquiry explores how information and communication are essential for living systems, acknowledging media as environments and technologies. It aims to provide a fuller and richer account of everyday life through insights from scholars in natural sciences, social sciences, and the arts. The book emphasizes systemic approaches to life, drawing from various disciplines and fields, and explores topics such as embodiment, ecological values, literacies, and critiques. It is part of the MEDIA • LIFE • UNIVERSE Trilogy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 486 pages
Publication date: 16 February 2024
Publisher: Intellect Books

LIFE: A Transdisciplinary Inquiry delves into the intricate interplay of nature, cognition, and society, revealing their interconnectedness as a vibrant tapestry spanning disciplinary boundaries. This comprehensive volume explores the vital role of information and communication in and for living systems, acknowledging their integral nature as environments and technologies.

The overarching objective of this collection is to provide a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of everyday life, drawing upon a diverse range of insights from renowned scholars across the natural sciences (physical and life sciences), social sciences, and the arts. By examining life as interactions, transactions, and contexts within ecosystems, the book identifies patterns that transcend scientific disciplines, encompassing metabolisms, habitats, and lifeworlds.

Furthermore, the book integrates discussions of embodiment, ecological values, literacies, and critiques, alongside bioinspired, synthetic, and historical design approaches, to envision what constitutes artful living in an ever-evolving, interdependent world. At the forefront of this volume is a systemic approach to life, drawing upon a vast array of disciplines and fields, including architecture, art, biology, bioengineering, chemistry, cinema studies, communication, computer science, conservation, cultural studies, design, ecology, environmental studies, information science, landscape architecture, geography, journalism, materials science, media archaeology, media studies, philosophy, physics, plant signaling and development, political economy, sociology, and system dynamics.

This second installment in the MEDIA • LIFE • UNIVERSE Trilogy builds upon the foundation established in the 2021 collection, MEDIA: A Transdisciplinary Inquiry. It further explores the dynamic relationship between media and life, shedding light on the ways in which information and communication shape our experiences, perceptions, and interactions with the world around us.

In conclusion, LIFE: A Transdisciplinary Inquiry is a groundbreaking exploration that unravels the complexities of life, cognition, and society, offering a holistic perspective that transcends disciplinary boundaries. Through its comprehensive analysis and innovative approaches, this volume provides valuable insights into the nature of information and communication in living systems, paving the way for a deeper understanding of everyday life and its potential for artistic expression in an interconnected world.

Dimension: 244 x 170 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789387933