新媒體，老問題：怎麼個「新」法？

Old Questions for New Media: What Makes New Media New and What Remains Old in New Media

本文解析漢森（Mark B. N. Hansen）對新媒體之「新」所下的定義，另嘗試以體化（embodiment）的強度（intensity）作為測量值，檢視新媒體之新的內涵。漢森引介柏格森（Henri Bergson）的認知理論，並將他的刪減法（subtraction）修改成加框的動作（framing），藉以解釋我們如何理解數位圖像。對漢森而言，新媒體之新最主要是指「身體中心性的提高」，而關鍵點在於加框功能由媒體介面「回歸」到身體。本文基本上同意漢森的定義，但對於他所列舉的某些範例，則提出適用性的質疑。除臚陳漢森範例論證上的盲點，本文另揭示體化的強度，藉以驗證新媒體之新。概論之，「體化的強度」與「身體中心性的提高」的觀察角度截然不同，但結論相去不遠，或可謂殊途同歸。本文的體化討論，從制動理論（cybernetics）的觀點出發。本文主張一個動作的完成或一項認知的達成，牽涉到人與機器（或作品）之間的配合，亦即：人與機器結合成一個分佈式認知系統（distributed cognitive system），一件工作在雙方共構而成的大迴路（circuit）中完成。本文描述這個大迴路如何形成，並探討之中再體化（reembodiment）的生成，指其在新媒體裏所呈現的強度、廣度前所未見。

The present article expounds on Mark B. N. Hansen's definition of the ＂newness＂ of new media and proposes ＂the intensity of embodiment＂ as a key parameter in gauging the newness of new media. Hansen replaces Henri Bergson's ＂subtraction＂ with ＂framing＂ in his explication of how we perceive digital images. His ＂newness＂ mostly refers to an increase in the body's centrality, invariably initiated by ＂a displacement of the framing function of medial interfaces back to the body.＂ The article accepts Hansen's notion of the body's greater centrality, but questions the relevance of some of his artwork examples. Besides probing for blind spots in Hansen's arguments, it considers the so-called newness of new media in terms of the intensity of embodiment. Further, it suggests that embodiment has roots in cybernetics, for the accomplishment of a cognitive act involves cooperation between man and machine, i.e., man and machine merging into a distributed cognitive system, forming a circuit wherein a cognitive act is consummated. Lastly, the article explains the formation of the circuit and the emergence within it of ＂reembodiment,＂ the intensity and scope of which have never been experienced via old media.