User:MEGrey/sandbox

The Pathways Project
The Pathways Project began as the undertaking of John Miles Foley, formerly a professor at the University of Missouri, and formerly head of the Center for Studies in Oral Tradition and of the Center for eResearch. The Pathways Project discusses the relationship between the Internet and oral tradition, "humankind's oldest and newest thought-technologies"[1].

Major concepts
As The Pathways Project is an evolving collection of nodes, the number of concepts and topics addressed can increase at any time. Presented here are some of the major concepts, the ideas that make up the core of The Pathways Project. All of the following are merely examples of the kinds of ideas or topics addressed, and can be used as a jumping off point for further exploration of The Pathways Project.

History of development
According to Foley, the idea came from an awareness of how oral tradition functions, e.g. navigating a network of potentials. These networks of potentials exist also when surfing the Internet, making oral tradition and the Internet homologous. But why or how are they homologous? Because the two media technologies mime the way the human mind works, imitating the way humans think. Texts are static while oral tradition and the Internet allow for possibilities at all times. Foley has also said that the Project is partly rooted in work with hypertext representations of oral tradition. As he experimented with ways that hypertext could support the multiple realities of oral tradition he became aware of their similarities.

The homology of OT & IT
The basic concept of The Pathways Project is the similarities between oral traditions (OT) and Internet technologies (IT). According to Foley, OT and IT work in the same way -- that is, both follow "pathways" in the mind. In OT a performer is never locked into a specific story path; they can change details or story elements as their individual taste or the performance demands. When surfing the Internet, one is not required to follow any given path; each person explores the Internet according to their interests and needs. Following links from one page to another is akin to following a story from one plot element to another. As one path is taken others are opened, but it is up to the individual which path(s) will be taken. In contrast, reading a book is a linear processes. In general, one does not skip around or move backwards and forwards through a book; one reads from beginning to end. A reader does not have the same options as an OT performer or an Internet surfer.

3 Agoras
The Pathways Project is a collection of web pages, called "nodes", that explore the connections between OT and IT, giving details about different aspects of both, and pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of OT and IT versus textual technology. Three nodes specifically deal with the "marketplace" for each technology -- the oAgora, the tAgora, and the eAgora. Each agora discusses the concepts involved in the given technology, as well as covering strengths, weaknesses, and differences between the three technologies. These three nodes are central to the tenants of The Pathways Project and can serve as a jumping off point for further exploration of the project.

Ideology of the Text
The principle behind the Ideology of the Text is that most of society today is text based, and therefore subscribes to a belief that textual methods are the best for preserving and sharing information, that these methods are a superior form of communication. This node attempts to test and challenge this belief, demonstrating some of the short-coming of texts in relation to other media (primarily OT and IT).