coming: hands off
A tendency towards a touchless approach to everything is becoming increasingly prevalent. In an era that is progressively dominated by digital interfaces and virtual interactions, contemplating the obvious yet marginalized physical dimension of our world takes unprecedented importance. This book considers prohibitions against touch (whether unconscious or not) and the inclination to privilege non-tactile approaches to things. This proclivity manifests as a trepidation towards physical contact and a concomitant intellectual and cultural disdain for the corporeal. Hands Off examines the philosophical, cultural, and social implications of abstaining from tactile engagement with the world and with each other from an interdisciplinary (philosophical, psychoanalytic, anthropological) perspective.
Historically, philosophy was inextricably linked with practical, material engagement. Ancient philosophers often occupied a multiplicity of roles, acting as physicians, soldiers, physicists, engineers, architects, artists, athletes. These thinkers did not merely contemplate the world from a distance; rather, they engaged with it directly, tangibly, joyfully, pleasurably, or painfully. But with Heraclitean thought a profound and far-reaching shift occurred. In his elevation of the senses of vision and hearing above all others, Heraclitus initiated a profound transformation in the philosophical tradition. Already in classic post-Socratic thought, the higher senses were those that removed the thinker from the immediate physical world, leading to theoretical (and oftentimes detached) thinking. This shift effectively banished the so-called lower senses—smell, taste, and, most crucially, touch—from the realm of philosophical inquiry.
The ramifications of this shift have been significant and enduring. As it developed, philosophy became increasingly abstract, with intellectual contemplation becoming the primary focus, while physical interaction was commonly relegated to a lesser status. In stark contrast, the domain of design has remained resolutely “hands-on” since its very inception. Designers do not merely engage in theoretical discourse about the world; they actively shape and transform it through the creation of objects, spaces, and experiences. Their engagement is inherently tactile, rooted in the manipulation of materials and the tangible construction of form(s). This fundamental distinction between the generally theoretical orientation of philosophy and the practical, material focus of design gives rise to significant inquiries concerning the nature of thought and creation. The question thus arises as to whether it is possible to think with one’s hands –or our mouths, or noses. It is therefore pertinent to inquire whether meaning and understanding can be produced not solely through abstract reasoning, but through making and touching.
Co-authored with professor and industrial designer Ignacio Urbina Polo, Hands Off aims to examine these questions by investigating three categories of objects that are typically regarded as untouchable: excrement, sacred items, and other individuals’ bodies. This inquiry is informed by the concepts of contagion, taboo, and totem, drawing on psychoanalytic, philosophical, and anthropological perspectives to elucidate the complex interplay between touch and prohibition. The prohibition against touching these things reveals profound cultural, theoretical, philosophical, theological, and psychological angsts, and obscure social structures that regulate public and private interactions.
By focusing on excrement, sacred objects, and other individuals, this book seeks to elucidate the mechanisms through which prohibitions against touch work to maintain social order and manage collective anxieties. As a potent symbol (and source) of contamination and impurity, excrement epitomizes the fears and taboos surrounding bodily functions and decay. Sacramental objects are typically protected from mundane contact in order to maintain their otherworldly power –although they need to be touched (and even eaten and drank) in certain occasions. The prohibition against touching other people highlights the intricate negotiations of intimacy, power, and social boundaries that are inherent to human relationships.
The public space is constituted through a delicate and largely unconscious administration of what can and cannot be touched –and how. This book posits that the creation of a truly shared public sphere necessitates the challenging and transgression of these tactile taboos. The act of touching represents a dissolution of barriers and an affirmation of shared humanity. To touch is to acknowledge the tangible reality of the other, and to engage in a form of communication that is immediate, visceral, and profoundly human.
Hands Off seeks to invite the tactile back into philosophical and practical domains. By critically examining the boundaries of touch and the taboos that enforce them, this book seeks to elucidate the underlying structures that shape our interactions with the world and with each other. In this way, the book aims to contribute to the formation of a more hands on philosophy, in which the processes of thinking and making, touching and being touched, are not necessarily perceived as distinct and antagonistic, but rather as inextricably intertwined and mutually reinforcing. Through this examination, Hands Off encourages readers to recognize the potential for a more tactile, connected existence.