Comparing Gershenfeld and Kahn: PF and Light
The two articles tackled differing issues in design and architecture with Gershenfeld focusing on the future of personal fabrication and Kahn focusing on the topic of the presence of light. Gershenfeld is more of an objective article, strictly informing the reader of the future possibilities. What would a PF (personal fabricator) do to our world? If there is no need to “buy� things simply because you can “make� them yourself, what would happen to the economy? These were some of the questions that crossed my mind while reading Gershenfeld. Would there be an explosive uprising of mining and trade of natural resources such as metal, rocks, water, or whatever ingredients are needed to produce the desired item? What about cloning? Would the new organism have a soul?
Nevertheless, the world may change from consumerism to purely an imaginative society where design concept takes precedence over anything else. Would we even have money since they will simply be regenerated infinitely as long as you provide the raw material? Though this may be far-off in the distant future (or will never be realized) there are many oppositions in its way. The amount of information and education that is required to design, program and construct such a PF would be astronomical as Gershenfeld explains (Gershenfeld pg.5). He says that a lifetime of classes for students will not be sufficient due to the lack of hands-on experience. The most notable merit from a PF is that it brings imaginations and individuality back into our realm of expression. We will no longer be restricted to what is sold in the economy because we will be able to fabricate whatever we wished, even things that do not exist as long as you have the proper design. People will simply make things that they think is necessary, cool, or fun. This is the ultimate form of self-expression because the material being fabricated is literally your desires, interests, ideas, and taste. The classic teenage obsession of “fitting in� will most likely diminish over the years with the introduction of a PF.
Kahn touches on a similar concept of expression by relating it to architecture. His article, “Silence and Light� states that the language of man is art and it stems from something which grows out of needing, of the desire to be, to express, and the evidence of the promise of the material to do it (Kahn pg.237). I agree with this approach, since art requires no set language, and it may well be a language in its own realm. A famous painting can speak to you without ever voicing its message. Because art originates from our inner most desires of wanting to express ourselves, it touches on the deepest emotions and imaginations of humans. Feelings are universal, therefore artistic expression stemming from feelings are universal. Relating Kahn’s idea back to Gershenfeld, what is fabricated from a PF ultimately is the result of our inner desire to express ourselves. The PF will be a new realm of expression just like how architecture is a realm of expression, and so is art, music, dancing, and literature (Kahn pg.238, 247). Though the PF idea seems very mechanical and scientific, it is derived from nature: genetics. Our body functions similarly to a fabricator because our genes command the construction of certain amino acids and protein, which composes our bodily organs. The raw material used is nutrition obtained from our diet. A PF is exactly the same in function; it takes raw material and follows the guideline for constructing the desired material.
To wrap up both articles, I would like to end with the argument expressed by Kahn about light. Kahn believes light is the giver of all presences (Kahn pg.228). Without light our eyes cannot perceive any information, therefore the object in front of us does not really exist in our perception even if it may be taking up space. Shadows exist not due to the lack of light, but because of the presence of light (Kahn pg.229). Without light, no matter what we create no one will be able to see it and experience its presence; the absence of light destroys its existence. The loss of existence means the loss of our self expression. This concept places light in a new level of superiority and reminds all of us that sun light is, indeed, the creator of all life and existence from both a scientific and artistic aspect.
