The Failure of Evidence-Based Incentive Structure

The Failure of Evidence-Based Incentive Structure

Flaws of the Modern Medical Research Establishment Introduction For as long as I can remember, I've suffered from chronic ear and sinus infections. The cycle is always the same - an ear infection treated with antibiotics migrates to my sinuses, causing a sinus infection. When I treat the sinus infection, it moves back to the other ear. This pattern has plagued me since childhood, making me intimately familiar with the misery of constant congestion. From a young age, doctors routinely prescribed oral...

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: The Rocket-Finned Civic of the Therapy World

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: The Rocket-Finned Civic of the Therapy World

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? In the 1990s, a peculiar trend emerged among car enthusiasts: transforming humble Honda Civics into pseudo-supercars by gluing on rocket fins, spoilers, and other garish modifications. The goal was to mimic the look of elite Ferraris and Lamborghinis without the matching performance. In many ways, this fad parallels the trajectory of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in the world of psychotherapy. At its core, CBT is built on the practice of linking behaviors to emotions, and...

Donna Haraway : Cyborg Feminism and Technoscience

Donna Haraway : Cyborg Feminism and Technoscience

I. Who is Donna Haraway Donna Haraway (b. 1944) is a prominent American scholar known for her groundbreaking contributions to the fields of science and technology studies, feminist theory, and cultural studies. Haraway's interdisciplinary approach, which draws from biology, philosophy, critical theory, and the history of science, has reshaped contemporary understandings of the complex relationships between humans, animals, and machines. Her influential works, such as "A Cyborg Manifesto" (1985) and "Simians,...

Neil Postman: Media Critic and Cultural Theorist

Neil Postman: Media Critic and Cultural Theorist

Who Was Neil Postman? Neil Postman (1931-2003) was an American media theorist, cultural critic, and educator whose work profoundly influenced our understanding of the relationship between media, technology, and culture. His incisive critiques of television, education, and the information age continue to resonate in today's digital landscape. This paper explores Postman's life, key ideas, and enduring legacy, examining the relevance of his thought to fields such as psychology, education, and media studies. II....

Friedrich Kittler: Theorist of Media and Technology

Friedrich Kittler: Theorist of Media and Technology

Friedrich Kittler: Digital Theory I. Who was Friedrich Kittler Friedrich Kittler (1943-2011) was a German literary scholar, media theorist, and cultural historian who made significant contributions to the fields of media studies, discourse analysis, and the history of technology. Kittler's work, which draws on a wide range of disciplines including literature, philosophy, psychoanalysis, and information theory, offers a provocative and influential perspective on the ways in which media technologies shape human...

Lev Manovich: Pioneering Theorist of New Media

Lev Manovich: Pioneering Theorist of New Media

Who is Lev Manovich? Lev Manovich is a pioneering theorist of new media, whose groundbreaking work has shaped the field of digital culture and media studies. Born in Moscow in 1960, Manovich's intellectual journey spans computer science, visual arts, media theory, and cultural analytics. His seminal book, "The Language of New Media" (2001), laid the foundation for understanding the unique characteristics and affordances of digital media, and their profound impact on contemporary culture and society. Biography of...

Marshall McLuhan: The Medium is the Message

Marshall McLuhan: The Medium is the Message

Who was Marshall McLuhan? Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian philosopher, professor, and public intellectual, stands as one of the most influential figures in media theory and cultural studies of the 20th century. His work, characterized by its prescient insights into the nature of media and its effects on human consciousness and society, continues to resonate in our increasingly digital and interconnected world. This paper seeks to explore McLuhan's life, ideas, and enduring legacy, situating his thought within the...

Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver: Architects of Information Theory

Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver: Architects of Information Theory

I. What is the Shannon Weaver Model Claude Shannon (1916-2001) and Warren Weaver (1894-1978) were two American mathematicians and engineers whose collaborative work laid the foundation for modern information theory. Their groundbreaking research in the mid-20th century revolutionized our understanding of communication, paving the way for the digital age and profoundly influencing fields ranging from computer science and cryptography to linguistics and psychology. This paper explores the lives and ideas of Claude...

Jean Baudrillard: Philosopher of Hyperreality and Simulation

Jean Baudrillard: Philosopher of Hyperreality and Simulation

Simulacra and Simulation "We are in a logic of simulation, which no longer has anything to do with a logic of facts and an order of reason. Simulation is characterized by a precession of the model, of all the models based on the merest fact - the models come first, their circulation, orbital like that of the bomb, constitutes the genuine magnetic field of the event. The facts no longer have a specific trajectory, they are born at the intersection of models, a single fact can be engendered by all the models at...

Vilém Flusser: Philosopher of Communication and Media Theory

Vilém Flusser: Philosopher of Communication and Media Theory

Vilém Flusser: Philosopher of Simulacra I. Who was Vilém Flusser Vilém Flusser (1920-1991) was a Czech-born philosopher, writer, and media theorist who made significant contributions to the understanding of communication, media, and technology in the late 20th century. Flusser's work, which spans across multiple languages and disciplines, offers a unique perspective on the ways in which media shape human consciousness and culture. His ideas about the impact of photography, digital media, and technical images on...