Here's the intriguing dual paradox; Shannon (and Weaver) model of communication was based on a mechanical telephone operating system (circuits that were either on or off). It lead (partially) to the theory of digital communication systems, and fair enough, this remains in the domain of signals and engineering. The first paradox is that the concept of digital communication thus was derived in analogy to a mechanical system. The second paradox, which is perhaps more so a tragedy or comedy of errors, was that the mathematical theory of communication became also a basis of human communication which it was never meant to be (already mentioned here). Hence several decades of sender-receiver-signal-noise model variations. While the task of engineering has been to reduce noise for perfect signal and reception, how could this be a base for human communication, experience and knowledge production where interpretation, debate and disagreement are vital, let alone emotions and affect? It took a few decades before Stewart Hall intervened, and a bit longer before Brenda Laurel's Computers as Theatre offered an articulated sense of interpretation, subjectivity, or agency in HCI.

Shannon is not to be blamed for all the "noise" that came about from these paradoxes. If we look at models of human body/mind dualisms from the past centuries, we have been imagined as clockworks, steam engines, and with communication theory, as signal processors. Future media archeologists are likely to look at the communication model as a remnant of Cold War research and an analogy between computer systems and human life that did not sustain itself far into the 21st century. Or perhaps it is a profoundly human condition, to explain everyday practices through technical and scientific imaginaries while lacking powerful enough options.

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On Aug 16, 2012, at 12:55 , Federico Bonelli <freddbomba@???> wrote:

> I totally disagree on retirement home for thermodynamics of information... especially in a group that is interested in energies :)
>
> f
> On Aug 15, 2012, at 6:42 PM, Jaromil wrote:
>
>> big +1 for K. Hayles check also the more recent "my mother was a computer" very good to place Shannon in the retirement home of media theory. her new book is coming out very soon btw. i can't wait
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