[lit-ideas] Re: Is a computer program a performative?
- From: John McCreery <mccreery@xxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2004 12:30:38 +0900
On 2004/08/10, at 20:37, Teemu Pyyluoma wrote:
> I think this is wrong, but I'm not quite sure what
> social context means in the above.
Hi, Teemu.
The issue isn't application vs. machine code or hard-wired processes.
It's whether the program requires social consensus on the part of the
people involved to achieve its intended effect.
The computer either will or will not run a program, regardless of
whether the programmer and the programmer's boss think it ought to.
For the priest to perform a marriage and have the marriage be legally
binding, all those involved, priest, parents and relatives, the bride
and groom, society at large have to agree that his words are binding.
If it later turns out that the priest wasn't a real priest, that the
bride or groom was coerced instead of acting of her or his own free
will, if a wedding license hadn't been issued, etc., the marriage can
be declared null and void.
Cheers,
John
John L. McCreery
The Word Works, Ltd.
55-13-202 Miyagaya, Nishi-ku
Yokohama, Japan 220-0006
Tel 81-45-314-9324
Email mccreery@xxxxxxx
"Making Symbols is Our Business"
------------------------------------------------------------------
To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html
Other related posts:
