[Humanist] 24.785 anticipation

[Humanist Discussion Group]

                 Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 24, No. 785.
         Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
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        Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:45:09 -0400
        From: Francois Lachance <lachance at chass.utoronto.ca>
        Subject: The Art of Anticipation 
        In-Reply-To: <20110310063539.6DDFC104EEA at woodward.joyent.us>

Willard

Since you often post on the thems of craftsmanship, discipline and 
technology, I think the following from William Gibson might be of 
interest. In this passage from _All Tomorrow's Parties_ he invites us to 
ponder the nature of design:

<quote>

That which is overdesigned, too highly specific, anticipates outcome, the 
anticipation of outcome guarantees, if not failure, the absence of grace.

</quote>

It is a well crafted sentence that defies anticipation.

Francois Lachance, Scholar-at-large
http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~lachance