Abstracting Reality: Art, Communication, and Cognition in the Digital Age

Abstracting Reality explores how digital technology and related concepts have subtly altered the fabric of society and culture in areas ranging from the practical to the philosophical. While "digital" has come to represent modern, state-of-the-art technology and "analog" refers to an older, outmoded form, Wolf notes that all output devices of digital data, such as monitors, speakers, and printers, are analog. Digital technology in daily life has promoted a shift from perceptual to conceptual thinking about the world and the future, as manifested in art, communication, and cognition. Designed to appeal to a wide, educated audience, this book promises to provoke thoughtful discussions for years to come.

Author Biography: Mark J.P. Wolf is Assistant Professor in the Communication Department of Concordia University Wisconsin, in Mequon.