Mexico City, July 14, 2023.- Each year the Media Ecology Association (MEA) presents a series of awards, among them the Marshall McLuhan Award for Outstanding BookThis year's award was given to the work entitled Formal Cause in Marshall McLuhan's Thinking: An Aristotelian Perspectivewritten by Dr. Laura Trujillo Liñána scholar of our Universidad Panamericana.
Dr. Laura Trujillo, director of the Open University of our university. She also belongs to the Humanities area of the Mexico City campus and is a member of the National System of Researchers of CONACYT (SNI level I), and is an ardent student of Marshall McLuhan.
The formal cause in the McLuhan context
Marshall McLuhan was a philosopher, scientist, scholar, teacher and communication theorist of the 1960s, who revolutionized with his theories what was known so far about the potential of the media in society.
Formal cause, in the context of McLuhan's work, Dr. Trujillo explains, is a concept developed by Aristotle, who argued that to better understand reality it was necessary to understand its causes.
The doctor points out that, according to Aristotle, there are four causes: two intrinsic causes, the material cause and the formal cause, and two extrinsic causes, the efficient cause and the final cause. The formal cause refers to the form or essence of being and determines its nature.
On the other hand, Trujillo also points out, Marshall McLuhan takes up Aristotle's theory of causality through the interpretations of the French philosophers Jacques Maritain and Étienne Gilson, with whom he had conversations and correspondence when they worked together as professors at the University of Toronto.
"Based on these interpretations, McLuhan claimed that formal causation was fundamental to understanding how the media affect, condition or determine society. According to him, the media are the formal cause of society and play a determining role in the way people think and act," says Dr. McLuhan.
McLuhan: fundamental for today
"Today, Marshall McLuhan has become a fundamental author to understand the impact of social networks, internet, artificial intelligence and other technologies in our lives. According to him, what we really need to take into account in communication is the medium itself, hence his famous phrase 'the medium is the message,'" says Dr. Laura.
He also explains: "This means that the content of the message is not as relevant as the medium through which it is transmitted. Today, we can see how our minds and actions are being shaped by our interaction with the various media we use on a daily basis."
"This effect is unconscious, which means that we are experiencing changes without even realizing it. Marshall McLuhan was able to visualize this phenomenon long before the Internet acquired the importance it has today," he adds.
The doctor states that a clear example of this is how the internet has influenced the minds of users, especially young people, who seek quick and easy gratification due to the nature of the web. "They no longer have the same interest in reading, as reading is a slower and more linear process compared to the non-linearity of the Internet," she suggests.
Likewise, he confirms that these effects, of which McLuhan spoke at the time, have gained relevance today, due to works such as The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brain by Nicholas Carr or Infocracy by Byung-Chul Han, among other texts that address this issue".
Research findings
The doctor explains that, during her research for the writing of the book, she realized that Marshall McLuhan differs with Aristotle's vision. "He refers to formal cause as something extrinsic to society and for Aristotle formal cause is intrinsic and hence the determination it gives to being."
"Finally, I realized that Philosophy and Communication are deeply intertwined areas because both have the human being at their center. The first with a vision and a very deep perspective, and the second, from dialogue, because ultimately the human being and society are made through communication," he says.
Outstanding work
For Dr. Trujillo, the fact that her work has been recognized as an Outstanding Book in the Field of Media Ecology (Outstanding Book in the Field of Media Ecology) "represents a significant milestone in my career, since it not only implies the creation of a text of great relevance for Media Ecology, but also highlights its importance in comparison with other works that competed for the same award in the United States," she says.
The doctor emphasizes that the realization of this book involved two years of hard work of research, analysis and discussions. In this process, she highlights the support she received from Lance Stratea prominent writer, professor of communication and media studies at Fordham University and winner of the same award she has now won.
It also acknowledges the support of the Media Ecology Association and the General Semantics Association General Semantics Associationwho published the book. He also explained that this award has been won by great authors such as Neil Postman, Lance Strate, among others; however, this is the first time that it has been awarded to a Latin American author.
"However, the most significant thing for me is that this recognition not only belongs to me, but it is also a shared achievement with my institution, the Universidad Panamericana; as well as with my husband and children, who have been a constant support throughout my international career," she shares.
Impact on society
She argues that Formal Cause in Marshall McLuhan's Thinking: An Aristotelian Perspective, establishes a connection between media ecology and philosophy since, through the latter, it is possible to carry out an in-depth analysis of the media and its impact on society.
"Today, media ecology becomes relevant, since studying the relationship between human beings and the changes generated by the media is essential to understand how technology affects or contributes to the development of people," he says.
She argues that organizations such as UNESCO and the UN are concerned about the impact of artificial intelligence on society and how it is transforming the way we think and act.
"Today's jobs will not be the same in the future due to the impact of media such as artificial intelligence (...) Faced with this dynamic of accelerated change, it is crucial to reflect on what we will be like in the next 10 years," he believes.
Working for the benefit of humanity
These questions are the subject of study by the Media Ecology Association. Therefore, Dr. Trijullo explains that it is imperative that more researchers from various disciplines join this association and contribute to guide new technologies along paths that promote the welfare of humanity.
"In this sense, I am already working on new research related to issues of technology and ethics, because, as researchers, we cannot stop working towards a greater goal: to leave a better world for future generations," he says.
Media Ecology Association
According to the Media Ecology Associationmedia ecology is the study of media environments, the idea that technology and techniques, modes of information and codes of communication play a major role in human affairs.
It is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the study, research, critique and application of media ecology in educational, industrial, political, civic, social, cultural and artistic contexts, and the open exchange of ideas, information and research among members of the association and the community at large.
Researcher's data
Dr. Laura Trujillo Liñán, SNI level I.
Director of the Universidad Abierta de la Panamericana.
Member of the Humanities area of the Mexico City campus.
