LegoCogitoScribo (I Read, I Think, I Write)

My last post to this blog was August 1, 2023. Eventually, I will edit the collection and turn it into a book.

I created this blog, LegoCogitoScribo after I retired when I began writing seriously. I had two purposes in creating it. First, I wanted to record some of what I was learning as I studied writing in greater depth so that I could go back and refresh my memory later. Second, I thought others might enjoy some of the insights I had gained. So, I post monthly on the first of the month, although the post is usually written and rewritten over a much longer period of time.

Lego Cogito Scribo is corrupt Latin for I Read, I Think, I Write. I don't speak Latin although I am fascinated with Latin (and Greek) root for many of the words we routinely use. You probably recognize these roots to some degree. Lego is found in words like Legal and Legislate. That is, something is not Legal unless it is written down or documented. Cogito can be found in words like Cognition and is best known for Rene Descartes' assertion Cogito Ergo Sum (I Think Therefore I Am). 

I don't happen to agree with Descartes on this point because it assumes that nonexistence implies not thinking and we have no idea what nonexistence implies. I also disagree with his choice of word Cogito. I think he should have said Sentio Ergo Sum (I Feel Therefore I Am) because he was using the experience of thinking to justify his existence. These are picky points, however, and I am not generally a Descartes basher. 

The last word,  Scribo, can be seen in words like Scribe, Scrivener or Scribble. I think that knowing a little more about Latin roots would be good for nearly anyone.

I chose these words for my motto because, after nearly three decades as an academic, I was fed up with academic and scholarly writing which is too often judged on its form rather than substance and is nearly always opaque to normal people. I wanted to read things, think about them and then write about them in as clear and accessible way as possible. Many would say that I have still to achieve that and I wouldn't disagree. But, I am working on it.

Dr Artz Ranting and Reflecting

This was my first blog. I created it because I love to write and I have a lot of odd ball ideas that I like to explore through writing. My first post was October 11, 2008. My last post was April 15, 2017. In that time, I have had nearly 30,000 views, which is nothing to brag about by blog standards, but a number I am still proud of since I never promoted it, never listed it anywhere, and made no attempt whatever to attract viewers. Still nearly 30,000 viewers found their way to it, probably from a Google search. And there were 10 views in the last month even though I haven't posted anything in over four years.

If you would like to have a look, check it out at: https://drartz-rantingandreflecting.blogspot.com/ . I hope you find something that interests you or stimulates your thinking.

Perspectives On Video Games

Around 2006 I got interested in virtual worlds and spent a lot of time in Second Life. By 2009 Second Life was beginning to decline and I found new interest in World of Warcraft. This in turn created an strong interest in games in general and  video games in particular which I still have, to some extent, today. I began to think about video games more deeply and started this blog Perspectives On Video Games. This is one of my bigger disappointments as nothing ever came of it. The literature on the philosophy and sociology of games in general, which translates easily to video games is one of the richest foundations of any aspect of information systems. Sadly, it has never been fully exploited, and I doubt I will ever get to it.

Patterns and Predictions

I first posted to this blog in October of 2013. I was trying to get my thoughts together on how one can predict what new information technologies might pop up and whether or not they would catch on. Ultimately, this blog led to the book I wrote on Predicting the Future. It may be of interest to people who like to see how thinking and ideas evolve over time. It also makes an important point about blogs. When I started developing an interest in blogging, I was motivated by an article I read that claimed blogs serve an important role in the public record. A former President and publisher of the Washington Post, Philip Graham is credited with saying that journalism is the first rough draft of history. One could take a step back and say that personal correspondence is the notes which lead to a first rough draft of history. People don't write personal correspondences the way they used to. But, people do blog. And those blogs will eventually find their way into the ideas that form what we call history. So, blogging is important.

In the meantime, if you want to get some tips on predicting the future, check out Patterns and Predictions or read my Kindle book on Predicting the Future .