Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Grasping haptic: Marshall McLuhan on haptic


 Nice comment from Ken Johnstone, McLuhan Studies at University of Toronto, on McLuhan's read on the meaning of the Greek concept of haptic: "The haptic sense meant much more "mind" since it meant grasping, getting something whole. Grasping means that in some sense I become what I know in its concrete reality and so get it whole. It is this complete act of knowing, that then allows me to analyze my percept intellectually as well as affirm its reality in judgement. And it is this complete act of knowing that realizes my own centre."

I think most of us "Hapticians" would heartily agree with McLuhan's "felt sense" of haptic engagement, that it creates an integrated, concrete experience of not just the sound or word being attended to but also of the mind-body attending to it. In future posts I will explore more of the "sound-acquisition-readiness" that HICP/EHIEP should enhance if done consistently. In fact, it may well be that the greatest benefit of haptic awareness, as McLuhan contends, will be increasing realization or reaffirmation of one's own center and identity in both the L1 and L2. Again,  the "Medium had the message!" 

No comments:

Post a Comment