Infinite Limits

Hayles Network Art

          An important aspect of N. Katherine Hayles Electronic Literature is comparable to the E-lit example of Marko Niemi. When Hayles mentions Douglas Hofstadter in her book, his ideas on E-lit recognition are very important. Hofstadter’s mantra “cognition is recognition” summarizes his conclusion that cognition is built on the ability to recognize patterns and extrapolate from them to analogies. A good example is how pattern A is like pattern B.  He uses test cases like “Jumble” puzzle that is in newspapers and “codelets,” which are small programs that function as independent agents performing specific tasks. The result from the interactions of all the agents is the successful construction of a word (49).

          Just like Niemi, Hofstadter uses patterns of words for comparisons to make stories, or complete sentences. To recognize that certain patterns are alike, you are also recognizing images that are alike to make up a story, or even a poetic game. From looking at the words in the game, the player is able to extrapolate a poetic sentence. Both E-lit examples require cognition of visual images comparing to the overall idea Calvino has for visibility.