45
Essences of Interaction
objects have coupling and cohesion indicative of the type and kind of connection. If either object were to move, then the result of joining is to support
the motion of both objects along their conterminous joint. For physical
objects that are said to be connected, one can envision a boundary that signifies the end of one object and the beginning of another object. However, if
the surfaces of the two objects were of the same composition and of the
same structure, and were engineered to be perfectly contiguous throughout
the touching zone, the physical interactions at that supposed boundary
might not support the general notion of a boundary between the two objects.
Were the boundaries to become chemically active (e.g., ionic or covalent),
these previously independent surfaces might combine or fuse in some way.
To fuse is to combine objects such that the identity of the results of the fused
material is no more or no less than the constituent matter from both objects
(Varzi 1997). Integration is different from fusing (e.g., data fusion) in that an
integrated set of objects has characteristics that are different from either of
the constituent matter. When two objects fuse they retain their individual
characteristics except in the boundary regions of blending, which is a region
of hybridization of both objects. If the two objects were identical in both
their matter (in all respects, as if matter from one object were part of the
matter from the other object, however physically separated the two objects
were before their coming into physical contact) and in their constraints and
limitations (ostensibly due to their local environments formed by their
respective objects), then the fusion zone might take on related or similar
characteristics as found in either of the two objects. The notion of a boundary incorporates the idea that there are other objects, distinct and distinguishable. Further, the notion of boundary provides a clear demarcation
between the objects so objects retain some degree of complete or partial
independence. The test for independence depends on detecting changes in
characteristics and separability. These notions of boundary suggest
dependence(s) that in some manner influence the action of objects and possibly change their respective freedom of self-control or undisputed or uninfluenced motion. Separability of the two objects requires that objects have
no lasting effects as a consequence of their connections. That there is no
lasting effect is to summarize the concept of interaction. Were the objects to
change in ways that affected their abilities or capabilities and retain those
changes after separation, they would have experienced integration for the
time in which they were connected (and perhaps for some time later).
That objects have boundaries that come into contact is colloquially referred
to as touching. When we touch something we do not expect to become part
of what we touch, we do not expect to be changed in any way. Yet, some
interactions are more than a casual brush with another object. If we were to
breath in air that was contaminated with a virus that in some way resulted
in us becoming ill, our bodies are said to have been unable to “defend”
against the infectious agent. Sometimes we acquire an immunity (resistance
as a consequence of antibodies or sensitized leucocytes (white blood cells)) to
Essences of Interaction
objects have coupling and cohesion indicative of the type and kind of connection. If either object were to move, then the result of joining is to support
the motion of both objects along their conterminous joint. For physical
objects that are said to be connected, one can envision a boundary that signifies the end of one object and the beginning of another object. However, if
the surfaces of the two objects were of the same composition and of the
same structure, and were engineered to be perfectly contiguous throughout
the touching zone, the physical interactions at that supposed boundary
might not support the general notion of a boundary between the two objects.
Were the boundaries to become chemically active (e.g., ionic or covalent),
these previously independent surfaces might combine or fuse in some way.
To fuse is to combine objects such that the identity of the results of the fused
material is no more or no less than the constituent matter from both objects
(Varzi 1997). Integration is different from fusing (e.g., data fusion) in that an
integrated set of objects has characteristics that are different from either of
the constituent matter. When two objects fuse they retain their individual
characteristics except in the boundary regions of blending, which is a region
of hybridization of both objects. If the two objects were identical in both
their matter (in all respects, as if matter from one object were part of the
matter from the other object, however physically separated the two objects
were before their coming into physical contact) and in their constraints and
limitations (ostensibly due to their local environments formed by their
respective objects), then the fusion zone might take on related or similar
characteristics as found in either of the two objects. The notion of a boundary incorporates the idea that there are other objects, distinct and distinguishable. Further, the notion of boundary provides a clear demarcation
between the objects so objects retain some degree of complete or partial
independence. The test for independence depends on detecting changes in
characteristics and separability. These notions of boundary suggest
dependence(s) that in some manner influence the action of objects and possibly change their respective freedom of self-control or undisputed or uninfluenced motion. Separability of the two objects requires that objects have
no lasting effects as a consequence of their connections. That there is no
lasting effect is to summarize the concept of interaction. Were the objects to
change in ways that affected their abilities or capabilities and retain those
changes after separation, they would have experienced integration for the
time in which they were connected (and perhaps for some time later).
That objects have boundaries that come into contact is colloquially referred
to as touching. When we touch something we do not expect to become part
of what we touch, we do not expect to be changed in any way. Yet, some
interactions are more than a casual brush with another object. If we were to
breath in air that was contaminated with a virus that in some way resulted
in us becoming ill, our bodies are said to have been unable to “defend”
against the infectious agent. Sometimes we acquire an immunity (resistance
as a consequence of antibodies or sensitized leucocytes (white blood cells)) to