3D Software
The term “Hacker” has a severe PR problem. Mention the word and it conjures up images of an unwashed, unkempt programmer, sitting in a dark room behind a lit screen for days on end, and probably up to no good. But this is far from the whole story.Hacking, in its purest form, is an egalitarian, collaborative engineering process that breaks down complex systems, examines how they function, and then combines the countless small efforts from a multitude of individuals to improve, augment or repurpose the initial system. We should never have to settle for what we are presented with if it doesn’t meet our needs or values; the ultimate goal of hacking is to modify a system to serve an identified purpose with elegance, efficiency and versatility. This process has been used to create and continually refine many of the most well-loved and thoroughly understood systems we humans take collective pride in: democracy, internal combustion car engines, or the perfectly brewed cup of coffee. While hacking is perceived as inherently anti-authoritarian, most likely because it relies on participation from all points, and does not require or lend itself to executive direction during the process; all participants learn from their own contributions, successes and failures as well as those of others.
This course will unpack this term and examine both well known and unfamiliar examples of hacked discoveries throughout modern history, including Watson and Crick hacking the structure of DNA without doing any original research, for example. There will be a rigorous hands-on component that will comprise the majority of class time, and will take many forms: physical computing, 3D printing, circuitry, manipulating and altering the biology of E. coli, fungal cells or plant systems, baking bread, experimenting with molecular gastronomy, designing card games, writing Wikis, and on and on. We will work on improving/repurposing/reimagining pre-existing things (a recipe, a piece of furniture, a piece of personal electronics, or a morning routine), as well as creating solutions de novo to fulfill personal, community or social needs the class identifies, and share the resulting work with the world. Absolutely no specific skills or knowledge of anything technical is required, but a willingness to try new things, contribute continually on any scale and share ideas constantly are mandatory.
