The Mind or the Heart? it Depends on the (definition of) Situation

Authors

Claudio Ciborra, Department of Information Systems, LSE, IULM, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Leslie WillcocksFollow

Document Type

Research Article

Abstract

This paper 1 establishes the importance of situatedness of experience in Information Systems (IS) studies, but also critiques the limited notion of situatedness all too frequently employed. In the original language of phenomenology as used by Heidegger, ‘Befindlichkeif means not just ‘state of mind’ but also refers to disposition, mood, affectedness and emotion. The paper reviews the controversies in the literature generated by opponents to the situatedness literature and provides two case studies to show how current IS uses of the situatedness perspectives differ from the original one. From this discussion, the paper argues that the limited IS research agendas on situated action found in Al, cognitive and social sciences need to capture the inner life of the actor, mind and heart, through the scope of a renewed, authentic, phenomenological tradition.

DOI

10.1057/palgrave.jit.2000062

Recommended Citation

Ciborra, Claudio and Willcocks, Leslie (2006) "The Mind or the Heart? it Depends on the (definition of) Situation," Journal of Information Technology: Vol. 21: Iss. 3, Article 2.
DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jit.2000062
Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/jit/vol21/iss3/2