Soc. Philosophy & Technology Conf: Charleston, S.C. 8-11 July 2007

Home - safe and sound and really pleased I travelled despite the air-miles.

Charleston is beautiful and the heat was actually refreshing given June in the UK. I passed by New York in the day going, and at night coming home - it was an amazing sight.

The Society conference is biennial and alternates between the USA and Europe.

So, if jet-lag has not fogged my recall the 2009 conference will be at the University of Twente and I certainly plan to attend, even if I don't present.

The organisers, session chairs and assistants did a great job. I really do hope to meet again the fellow delegates I managed to speak to and share ideas - China, Netherlands, South Korea, UK, USA, Portugal...

I did not get to meet everyone and while I wish more people attended my presentation that's par for the course. I was prepared for that. You learn patience if not anything else riding the h2cm quad bike. Those who did attend appreciated the content and more people are aware of Hodges' model. I'm really grateful to Hugh the session Chair and the assistant for their help.

What did I learn?

Well, it was the 1980s when I first studied philosophy, so the conf-vocab was a good reminder and prompt (get the books out).

While a lot of effort had obviously been put into all the presentations, the plenary sessions stood out for me as a learning experience:

1. Friedman's The World Is Flat: The Globalized World in the Twenty-first Century (noticed new updated copy at Newark airport).
2. Repo-Tech - Reproductive Technologies and Risks of Commodification in the Global Context

The morning session on Aesthetic Computing - infovis was also of particular interest. I've many notes to reflect upon and follow up from the whole event. It was gratifying that I was able to ensure that some issues for older adults and memory loss were represented.

The Society members were all very friendly and supportive. This certainly isn't surprising, but as acknowledged at the conference close there was a real collegiate atmosphere.

Deliberations at the conference close included whether to publish Techné: Research in Philosophy and Technology - the Society journal as a paper journal as well as electronic.

As an independent scholar I gather you can currently join the Society for $15. Yet another sub, but it's high time I rationalised. I'm at a crossroads and looking at and pursuing other avenues. And who knows - might meet you in 2009!

P.S. Coming home and reading of the U-turn regards the UK supercasino struck a cord with good vibrations - thanks Prime Minister!