Blog post 9/17/2025

What It Means to be Digital

To be digital means existing in a form that can be represented by numbers, usually 0s and 1s. This allows information like text, images, and sounds to be stored and processed by computers. Unlike analog, which is continuous, digital breaks things down into clear, separate steps. Because of this, digital data can be copied, shared, and transmitted without losing quality. It also makes information easy to change, organize, and connect across devices and networks. In essence, being digital is about turning the world into code that technology can use.

Written with Chat GPT

Blog post 9/24/2025

AI and Neural Networks

Artificial Intelligence (AI) involves computer systems that perform tasks requiring human-like reasoning, such as recognizing patterns or interpreting language. Many AI systems use neural networks, layered structures of interconnected nodes that process data, adjust internal weights, and make predictions. During training, the network learns from labeled examples, gradually improving accuracy. Early layers detect simple features like edges, while deeper ones identify complex patterns, allowing the system to recognize and classify new information it has never encountered before.

Written with Chat GPT

Blog post 10/2/2025

Jacquard Loom

The image on the right is my example for the Jacquard Loom assignment.

Blog post 10/8/2025

The Creative Process, Social Environment, and Visionaries Behind the Digital World

The journey to today’s digital world began with visionary thinkers who transformed abstract ideas into technology that reshaped human life. Early computer scientists like Alan Turing laid the foundation for digital computation, while innovators such as Steve Jobs and Bill Gates helped make technology accessible to the masses. The creative process evolved within a social environment that valued progress, communication, and connectivity. Collaboration among engineers, artists, and entrepreneurs pushed boundaries, leading to the digital revolution that now defines nearly every aspect of society.

Written with Chat GPT

Blog post 10/15/2025

Classifying Digital and Non-Digital Objects or Concepts

Objects and concepts can be classified as digital or not based on whether they are represented by discrete data. For instance, ancient cuneiform writing from 3400 B.C. is non-digital because it relies on continuous, physical marks, while modern text on a computer screen is digital, represented by binary code. A vinyl record is analog, while an MP3 file is digital. The transition from non-digital to digital reflects humanity’s ongoing effort to translate reality into information that machines can interpret and replicate.

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Blog post 10/22/2025

Formulating and Defending a Position on Digitization

Digitization offers immense benefits—accessibility, efficiency, and preservation—but it also carries liabilities like data insecurity, loss of privacy, and emotional detachment. From an interdisciplinary perspective, the digital shift democratizes knowledge but can weaken interpersonal connection and craftsmanship. Defending a balanced position means acknowledging that while digital progress enhances life, it must coexist with ethical frameworks and human-centered design to maintain the depth and integrity of our pre-digital experiences.

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Blog post 10/29/2025

Digitizing Text and Sound

Digitization transforms real-world information into forms computers can process. Text is often scanned and converted using OCR, making it searchable and editable, but sometimes introducing errors. Sound is digitized by sampling audio waves many times per second, balancing quality against file size. These processes make information accessible and easy to store, yet always involve tradeoffs—too much compression can reduce clarity, while high-quality files require more space.

Written with Chat GPT

Blog post 11/5/2025

Digital vs. Natural Representation

A digital version of an object is easy to copy, store, and share, but it can’t fully capture the physical qualities of the original. A digital photo lets us zoom and edit, yet lacks the depth and presence of seeing something in person. What we gain is convenience and longevity; what we lose is texture, scale, and some emotional impact. Both forms offer unique strengths depending on the context.

Written with Chat GPT

Blog post 11/12/2025

Critiquing Digital Ideas from Multiple Perspectives

Analyzing a digital concept requires looking at it through different fields. For example, social media algorithms help organize information, but communication, psychology, and ethics perspectives reveal issues like bias, privacy, and influence on behavior. A strong critique recognizes how technology intersects with culture and society, showing that digital systems are never neutral—they reflect the values behind their design.

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Blog post 12/3/2025

Advantages and Limitations of Digital Representation

Digital representation allows information to be stored, shared, and copied with incredible accuracy, something that wasn’t possible with fragile, analog methods of the past. Text, images, and audio become easier to preserve and distribute once converted into binary form. However, this shift also has limitations. Digital versions can lose context, texture, or emotional weight found in physical originals, and formats can become outdated over time. While digital data offers convenience and durability, it can never fully replace the depth of real-world artifacts.

Written with Chat GPT

Blog post 12/10/2025

Final Course Reflection

This class helped me understand how the digital world works and how much it shapes daily life. These blog posts have made me think about digitization in new ways—how information becomes digital, what is gained or lost, and how technology affects communication and creativity. Overall, the course and blog helped me connect technical concepts with real-world experiences and reflect on the digital world we live in today.

Written with Chat GPT