8 Self - Evidence : A Non - Alienated View

This chapter analyzes, evaluates and critically reflects upon the three case studies as a whole, summarizing their contribution to the thesis objectives. Within the heart of these objectives is the hypothesis that self-evidence is a critical component of a nonalienated view of technology design. The concept of self-evidence invites a re-thinking of the process of design for technology, one that includes design for the experience of the self. Supported by concepts of somatic phenomenology and discourse surrounding ‘felt-life’ within HCI, the case studies articulate the concept of self-evidence through the application of somatic body-based practices as a resource for technology design within HCI. The case studies share a central proposition that experience within interaction is not only given but also enacted through the participation of the user. Including affordances for self-experience and self-awareness within technological design brings an ethical dimension to the assessment of technological systems within HCI. By engendering a role for cultivating self-awareness within interaction, our digital technologies can support the development of an attentional skill-set for experience.