Description
The purpose of this article is to introduce a model for theorizing contemporary information technologies and systems (technology) from a perspective of complexity. Technology is constitutive of the present ubiquitous complexity, and its complexity requires a matching epistemological inquiry. A model inspired by Karl Popper’s three-world ontology expanded with a social domain is proposed with this end in mind. The model is called MIPS after its four ontological aspects – material, intellectual, personal, and social. A review of ontologies deployed in information systems research indicates that the social aspect of MIPS has strong grounding. MIPS approaches technology from the four ontological bases and from different actor perspectives. The article reports on pilot testing MIPS on technologies used in social media.
Recommended Citation
Travica, Bob, "4 Worlds: Coping With Technology Complexity" (2015). AMCIS 2015 Proceedings. 1.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2015/ISPhil/GeneralPresentations/1
4 Worlds: Coping With Technology Complexity
The purpose of this article is to introduce a model for theorizing contemporary information technologies and systems (technology) from a perspective of complexity. Technology is constitutive of the present ubiquitous complexity, and its complexity requires a matching epistemological inquiry. A model inspired by Karl Popper’s three-world ontology expanded with a social domain is proposed with this end in mind. The model is called MIPS after its four ontological aspects – material, intellectual, personal, and social. A review of ontologies deployed in information systems research indicates that the social aspect of MIPS has strong grounding. MIPS approaches technology from the four ontological bases and from different actor perspectives. The article reports on pilot testing MIPS on technologies used in social media.