Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy
Summary
The paper presents the sources of knowledge and knowledge source categorization for the PhD thesis: Car in British Culture: Art, Literature and Other Humanities. The paper presents some groups of data source used for dissertation and also presents a provisional outline for the thesis and formulates the aim of the future thesis.
Keywords: knowledge creation, car industry, culture 1. Introduction
Roland Barthes (1915-1980), a French literary critic, literary and social theorist, philosopher and semiotician in his “Mythologies” about modern myths compares a car to Gothic cathedral.
I think that cars today are almost the exact equivalent of the great Gothic cathedrals: I mean the supreme creation of an era, conceived with passion by unknown artists, and consumed in image if not in usage by a whole population which appropriates them as a purely magical object. It is obvious that the new Citroen has fallen from the sky inasmuch as it appears at first sight as a superlative object .. We must not forget that an object is the best messenger of a world above that of nature: one can easily see in an object at once a perfection and an absence of origin, a closure and a brilliance, a transformation of life into matter (matter is much more magical than life), and in a word a silence which belongs to the realm of fairy-tales. The D.S. - the "Goddess" - has all the features (or at least the public is unanimous in attributing them to it at first sight) of one of those objects from another universe which have supplied fuel for the neomania of the eighteenth century and that of our own science-fiction: the Deesse is first and foremost a new Nautilus.
Barthes (1957)
The extract can show a quite considerable role that a car will be playing even as the subject matter for consideration of humanistic sciences. A car will not only hallmark the progress of civilization but also will be a carrier of cultural, social, economic and aesthetic values. This is particularly true in the case of British culture – pioneering in many disciplines, such as naval and spinning industry. LipoĔski (2003) highlights the impact of motoring on various disciplines and aspects of life, such as changes in clothes, architecture, the emergence of leisurely tourism and the development of motoring-associated industries. As, for example, Urry (1998) suggests, the car in Britain facilitated the exploration of countryside and stimulated such innovations as a road map industry, establishment of motoring organisations, hotel rating systems, road signs, village signposts, a national road building programme after 1910, etc. The analysis of influence of British motoring and the presentation of sources of knowledge enabling to investigate and identify the most important motoring impact on a wide range of cultural conditions of the United Kingdom.
2. Definition of humanities in the aspect of knowledge
KiereĞ (2005) presents an exhaustive definition and various approaches towards of humanities. Humanities involve all the activities and life of a historical man. Man is the part of nature and therefore he creates culture and cultivates the world. People are reasonable beings and culture is a rationalisation of the world of nature. Culture as such has the following components: cognition (science), morality, art and religion. These qualities reflect the free and rational nature of man. Nature was always regarded as a self-creating phenomenon. On the other hand, human activity was only an imitation of nature. Things around us a the results of two types of activities: by the power of nature or by the power of people, the latter are then called humanistic acts. The term “humanistic act” determines everything that was added to nature by man, acting consciously and purposefully. In modern times and nowadays, the process of extending the scope of humanities takes place. The very art and artistic criticism and even social sciences such as psychology, sociology, pedagogy and economics, law sciences and philosophy are becoming a part of humanistic range of interest. The object of humanities is a cultural fact. The creator of cultural facts – man – creates history and tradition and the products of culture are the manifestations of human knowledge and they express intentions and intended goals. The addressee of the experience contained in the cultural fact is another man. The sense of the cultural fact is unveiled by interpretation. The fact-item can be explained by virtue of science and by factors explaining why such a fact exists and why it has a defined structure and performs suitable functions. It is essential to get to know four causes: (1) formal (what is it?), (2) material (what is it made of?), (3) causative (who or what did create it?) and (4) intentional (what for is it made?). Identifying the above-mentioned causes is equivalent to understanding an item.
The description of a cultural item should include all the cognitive aspects concerning this item. It is not possible to determine a priori the points of view that will help in the process of description. Humanistic process of cognition depends the type of humanistic discipline and aim and character of the humanistic fact. This cognition is also conditioned by 2 logically bound research aspects: historical and material – the former involves establishing the place and position of the fact in history, the latter requires explanation of the fact, indicating the causes of its emergence and finally its assessment. The sense of the humanistic fact, in turn, is to search for the causes of its emergence (direct or indirect) that affect human cultural activity. This process requires a broader context than only a description of the fact more towards its historical and civilisation and culture context in which the creator of the fact lived. Besides, it requires even a broader scope: an investigation of motives and methods throughout which the creator of a humanistic fact experienced the world. Identifying the causes of a cultural fact is the most difficult but key stage in humanistic explanation. It makes the humanist dispose of vast and reliable knowledge, rich experience within their domain and talent and love for the subject. What tops the interpretation method is the assessment of the fact which determines its position in cultural achievements.
3. Typology of knowledge, knowledge processing
Lundval & Johnson (1994 in: Drelichowski 2004) divide knowledge into four main components. The typology dates back to ancient times. Aristiotle distinguished the following types of knowledge:: episteme – universal and theoretical; techne – instrumental, contextual and practical knowledge; phronesis – normative knowledge, based on experiences and common knowledge. The old classification has been adjusted to contemporary understanding and taken the forms of:
- Know-what - Know-why - Know-how - Know-who
Nowadays the classification was extended by one item, mainly know-when/where in the context of knowledge management in enterprises. It designates the economically useful knowledge about markets Cranfield (2000) in: Unold 2004). Know-what refers to the factual knowledge about some widely known truths (i.e. what is the population of New York, etc.) Knowledge is here understood synonymously to information. Know-why explains principles and laws of nature, among members of society. This component is important especially in technological progress and facilitates the avoidance of committing an error. Know-how refers to abilities of performing some activities. It is a procedural knowledge that cannot be classified entirely as practical (Drelichowski 2004).
In our contemporaries knowledge as such is described with respect to the possibilities of its processing procedures and implementations in various contexts. Validation of knowledge is interpreted differently depending on the sector in which given knowledge was created. For example, market success determines knowledge in industry. At the same time, new knowledge may be verified by science. In technology there are many instances of technological progress outpacing the development of science. Collation in turn, means the collection of already codified knowledge. Dissemination of knowledge mans the conveyance of knowledge via: media (books, newspapers, films, etc.); by training courses conducted by specialists, by direct contact with knowledge owner; transmission via telecommunication devices; Internet technologies. Dissemination may fall prey to its methods because entities involved in knowledge flow may create obstacles towards the process of communication. Adaptation involves the adjustment of a receiving environment to the new knowledge. Acquiring new knowledge is very often connected with the resignation from the previous knowledge. Implementation conditions the knowledge incorporation. Implementation can be prevented by: lack of chance for implementation, practical problems and limitations(i. E. Insufficient resources, lack of time, no society support, technological gap, civilisation and education gap). Institutionalization concerns probably the most complicated process of transforming newly acquired and innovative knowledge into practice (Drelichowski 2003).
4. Sources of knowledge for the thesis
In the context of the analysis of influence of British motoring and the presentation of sources of knowledge enabling to investigate and identify the most important motoring impact on a wide range of cultural conditions of the United Kingdom various sources of knowledge can be identified. These are direct and indirect sources. Direct source of knowledge in the case of the said
analysis was the library search trip to the United Kingdom in September 2007. In scholarly environments it is often said that a given culture can be best explored and described by a stranger because of their objectivity in assessment. It is particularly true in the case of Norman Davies, a British historian who wrote a very popular book covering history of Poland – “God’s Playground”. However, this opinion may face objection because such an exploration can be prevented by such factors as great distance, problems with access to the sources of knowledge and financial constraints. In the case of the thesis the principal goal concerned finding a place where it would be possible to get information connected with British motoring history. It was not possible to assimilate with the British motoring environment for a longer period of time to experience motoring phenomena in the form as they really are. Obtaining a a wide variety of sources turned out to be possible at the national Motor Museum at Beaulieu, Hampshire. The Museum, founded in the 1950s by the present Lord Montagu tells the story of motoring in Britain from the 1890s to the present day. The collection presents early examples of vehicles and motorcycles, elegant and stylish designs, famous racing cars and record breakers and completely unusual exhibits. These exhibits have been assembled from Lord Montagu’s own collection, the museum’s trust acquisitions and a large number of vehicles loaned from individuals or companies. The Museum also houses a world-renowned Reference Library and photographic, film and artefact collections. These include car accessories, motoring clothing, printed ephemera and anything else that helps to describe the fascinating evolution of motoring in all forms. The Reference Library was founded in 1961 and has grown into one of the world’s finest resources on motoring and road transport. The Library collection comprises thousands of books covering all aspects of motoring. Moreover, it is possible to browse through motoring periodicals and magazines. The Library offers also a rich collection of films on motoring, established in 1979. What is more, the Library possesses one of the largest Motoring Picture Library in the world with over a million of black and white photographs and 90,000 colour transparencies. Some sources of materials for the thesis come from Polish libraries (The Library of Warsaw University) and Internet bookstores (Amazon.co.uk).
The sources gathered so far facilitate the preparation of main sections of the dissertation. The sources that are discussed in this chapter will serve only as example of possible and already available sources of information and knowledge for the said dissertation. Printed and online sources cover the important aspects of the provisional outline presented below. The sources of knowledge are of various kinds – ranging from historical books on the history of motoring in general: “Dzieje samochodu” by Witold Rychter published in 1983. However old the source may seem, it was prepared meticulously by one of the greatest Polish motoring historians. Another item is “The rise and decline of the British motor industry” by Roy Church is a critical analysis of a complex event of the motoring industry collapse. The historical background is necessary for further presentation of cultural implementations of the motoring motifs. A very important part of the gathered material are collections of essays devoted to cultural aspects of motoring around the world: “Autopia: Cars and Culture” edited by Peter Wollen and Joe Kerr. It contains various topics of motoring and various domains of human activity where the car left a distinctive impression. A completely different source of information are diaries of motoring enthusiast journalists and creators of motoring centres in the UK – “Drive On! A social history of the motor car” by L. J. K. Setright: “a Wittgenstein of the motoring press” and “Wheels within Wheels. An Unconventional Life by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, the founder of the National Motor Museum. A separate place will be granted to “gutter” motoring press practiced by Jeremy Clarkson, the host of a popular TV program on motoring. Next important source are British motoring magazines: “Top Gear” (paper
version of Clarkson’s TV series) and some past issues of “Autocar” and “Motor” from the late 1940s (purchased in Internet auctions). Of course, the latest issues of British motoring magazines will be used as a source for information about the condition of the contemporary British motoring journalism (Car of the 1990s and 2000s). With respect to the car ads in Great Britain, it is possible to get sources from newspapers but also from a series of postcards with old car ads. The presentation of sources available to the author shows only an exemplary part of materials gathered till now, the library that is being supplemented constantly includes also other materials connected for example with art (catalogues of auto work of arts sold by auction houses – “Auto Art”) and studies of motoring influences on British literature (“ The car in British society. Class gender and motoring 1896-1939) by Sean O’Connell).
5. Outline and aim of doctoral dissertation
The aim of the PhD thesis is to show the influences and importance of a car as a humanistic artefact on British culture and its various aspects. The dissertation, by showing numerous examples from the history of British culture, art, literature and other humanities (cf. the definition of humanities), is to show not only the influences of a car but also is to show the car as the starting point for further development of products of material and non-material culture in the United Kingdom. A pivotal role in the research process is played by the approach which aims at the specification of knowledge source classification, their mutual interactions in the assessment of the influence of motoring on the culture of a given country. A concluding remark can suggest that the products of purely technical thought can be used by abstract thinking and artistic expression and become a neat combination of the said components.
5.1. Structure of the research problem Outline
THE CAR IN BRITISH CULTURE AS KNOWLEDGE CONNECTED WITH ART, LITERATURE AND OTHER HUMANITIES
Introduction
Chapter One: Socio-anthropological background Introduction
1.1. The meaning of culture in contemporary world - definition of culture
- what can be perceived as an inherent part of culture - cultural value in machines
1.2. Machines replacing man – philosophical concepts.
Chapter Two: The history of the British motor industry – a critical approach to the rise and decline of the British motor industry
Introduction: why to give the historical background? – categories of creating, transferring and implementation of knowledge
2.1. History of British motor industry 2.2. Reasons of the collapse
2.3. The history of the British motor sport
Chapter Three: British society and the car in the years 1896-1939
Introduction: the period vital for the development of the car culture in Britain – the emergence of the car , knowledge as a tool for selection of research problems
3.1. Men and the car 3.2. Women and the car
3.3. Leisure and the role of the car 3.4. Road safety, law and order - Joyriding
3.5. British countryside and the car 3.6. British cities and the car
Chapter Four: British society and the car in the years 1940-2006 Chapter Five: British humanities and the car as knowledge creation Introduction: the car as the motif in culture
5.1 Literature 5.1.1. Poetry 5.1.2. Prose 5.2. Fine arts 5.3. Car journalism 5.4. Television 5.5. Film 5.5.1. Feature films 5.5.2. Cartoons
5.6. The Internet technologies 5.7. Car ads
5.8. Music 5.9. Museums
5.10. Car societies and associations 5.11. Motor sports in Britain
Conclusion 6. Conclusions
1. The preparation of research plans that concern cross-disciplinary aspects of culture. 2. The research approach and categories introduced in the discipline of knowledge
management can be effectively used in solving problems stated in conclusion 1.
3. The paper proves the usefulness of the aspects of knowledge management in the assessment of the influences of motoring on British culture.
Bibliography
1. Barthes, R., 1957 The New Citroën [in:] Mythologies, [in:] Autopia. Cars and Culture eds. Petern Wollen & Joe Kerr. pp. 340-341.
2. Cranfield, 2000, Releasing the Value of Knowledge – A Cranfield School of Management and Microsoft Survey of UK Industry. [in:] Unold, J., 2004, Information technology in the creation of organizational strategy. Studia i Materiały Polskiego Stowarzyszenia Zarządzania Wiedzą. Bydgoszcz. pp. 157-165.
3. Drelichowski, L., 2004. Podstawy inĪynierii zarządzania wiedzą. Studia i Materiały Polskiego Stowarzyszenia Zarządzania Wiedzą. Bydgoszcz., pp. 13-22.
4. KiereĞ, H., 2005, Humanistyka. Powszechna Encyklopedia Filozofii. Polskie Towarzystwo Tomasza z Akwinu. http://www.ptta.pl/pef/pdf/h/Humanistyka.pdf.
5. LipoĔski, W., 2003, Dzieje kultury brytyjskiej. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
6. Urry, J. 1999. Automobility, Car Culture and Weightless Travel: A discussion paper. Department of Sociology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, http://www.comp.lancs.ac.uk /sociology/ papers/Urry-Automobility.pdf .
Maciej Adamski madamski1981@wp.pl
Katedra Filologii Angielskiej, Instytut Neofilologii i Lingwistyki Stosowanej Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy
