Cognitive Science, Human-Computer Interaction and Semiotics: subliming multifolded boundaries 1 L. E. Merkle 2 M.Sc. R. E. Mercer Ph.D. merkle@csd.uwo.ca mercer@csd.uwo.ca www.csd.uwo.ca/~merkle www.csd.uwo.ca/~mercer Cognitive Engineering Laboratory, Department of Computer Science The University of Western Ontario, London Ontario Canada N6A 5B7 Morena de Angola que leva o chocalho amarrado na canela Será que ela mexe o chocalho, ou o chocalho é que mexe com ela? Chico Buarque 3 One of the meanings of "subliming" is the process in which a solid is converted to vapour by means of heat, and then re-solidified on condensing back. Cognitive Science, Semiotics, and Human-Computer Interaction are metaphorically passing through a similar process, a process that will re-solidify on a different kind of solid, one that respects the components. Cognitive Science, in its strongest form, aggregates philosophical, anthropological, linguistic, psychological, neurological, and cybernetic interests in the study of cognition as information processing (Varela et al., 1991). Recently, models based on self-organisation and chaos have challenged this framework by linking cognition to life (Capra, 1996). Human-Computer Interaction has a less anthropocentric focus. For example, Philosophy is concerned with the ethics of artefact use, Anthropology includes social interests in the study of information technology, Linguistics also considers social and political issues, and Psychology encompasses learning in educational technology. As Cognitive Science is changing, Human-Computer Interaction is also broadening its view from the artefact to its context in recent approaches such as Situated Action (Kirshner & Witson, 1997)(Clancey, 1997), Distributed Cognition (Hutchins, 1995), Activity Theory (Nardi, 1996), and Design (Winograd, 1996). 1 This work is supported by: the Brazilian Government through the Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq Process 201437 - 94:5 SET GDE), and through the Paraná Federal Centre of Education and Technology (CEFET-PR Process 23064:000238/95 - 67); the Canadian Government through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC Grant 0036853). 2 On leave from the Academic Department of Informatics, CEFET-PR Paraná Federal Center for Education and Technology, 80230-901 Curitiba Paraná Brazil 3 From the lyrics of “Morena de Angola”. The quote approximately means "Brunette of Angola who carries a rattle tied to her chin. Is it her who plays the rattle, or is the rattle that plays with her?