A Creation of Theory About Theory, Before Theories About Digital Media Are Present

If Theory's basic phenomenon is thinking, and Heidegger asserts that man only thinks when he is "properly drawing toward" the thought-provoking thought that, in the essence and existence of thought, has withdrawn from him, then it would seem that Theory is merely the absence of thought about factical existence and is, indeed, thought about a withdrawn thought. Therefore, it would make sense to draw the conclusion that thought, or Theory, is not about conclusions at all, or involved in the practice of drawing conclusions, but about thinking about thought and its process/es, and about how man is eternally locked in thought about the chase for the so-called "withdrawn thought" (and not necessarily the thought he was seeking itself). While Heidegger might only see intentional thought in drawing near thoughts about the thoughts that have withdrawn, I find myself preoccupied with the idea that "intentional" thought has to do more with the discovery that those thoughts are eluding us, and asking "why?"

So, in the context of thinking about digital media, or perhaps thinking about what is thought-provoking about digital media, I've come to realize that perhaps what I mentioned in class the first day, when asked what was MOST thought-provoking to me about digital media, is not exactly on the mark. It might be that the pursuit of my own thoughts about what I find thought-provoking about digital media will interest me most, and not the thought itself, although that would put me in a much more philosophical crowd and very nearly take me out of the milieu of digital media altogether.

However, although Heidegger focuses extensively on the importance of chasing thought about what we find thought-provoking, I find that, although the thrill of the chase may not end with a conclusion, drawing connections (and NOT conclusions) is where I find my own personal energy in this discussion. Trying to understand how and where individual thoughts about digital media originate, and how different perspectives on these thoughts shape the media itself, is perhaps a much more imperative journey than simply drawing "if, then" conclusions or empty observations about the digital world. In fact, in order to understand our own digital world, we must create our own theory about theory, and this is where we have begun.

In this process, I've found that I have my own Theory (and, for that matter, theories) about thought, and, apparently, theory itself. Perhaps once I've established this basis, I can effectively venture into theory ABOUT something - in this instance, digital media.