Scholars@Duke
William Seaman

William Seaman

Professor of Art, Art History and Visual Studies
Art, Art History & Visual Studies
bill.seaman@duke.edu
Box 90766, Durham, NC 27708-0766
Smith Whse Bay 11 A289, 114 S. Buchanan Blvd, Durham, NC 27708
Office hours By email appointment  

Scholarly Works

Sensing the Invisible: Breathing Life into the Universe

Conference 9TH ACM/EG EXPRESSIVE SYMPOSIUM EUROGRAPHICS WORKSHOP ON INTELLIGENT CINEMATOGRAPHY AND EDITING, EXPRESSIVE+WICED 2025 · 2025 Full text Link to item Cite

Composing Systems for Advancing Advancing

Journal article Enacting Cybernetics · September 5, 2024 Full text Open Access Cite

New Approaches to the Circle of Sense and Nonsense

Journal article Philosophies · April 1, 2024 I will briefly discuss the history of research-related projects that Mark Burgin and I worked on together. I will then discuss our joint research related to the circle of sense and nonsense. One paper was entitled In a search for deeper meanings: navigatin ... Full text Open Access Cite

In the Circle of Sense and Nonsense Through a Mathematical Model of Meaning

Journal article Leonardo · February 23, 2022 In this article, the authors explore the relations and interactions between sense and nonsense with a threefold goal: (1) elaborations of formal definitions of these concepts; (2) investigation of the processes of making sense from nonsense; (3) establishm ... Full text Cite

The Insight Engine 2.0: the body and biomimetic systems as intelligent environments

Book section · January 1, 2022 The body as an intelligent environment, nested within the larger environment of the natural and man-made world, is discussed. A linked set of embodied processes, where cognition is enacted is articulated. Extended intelligence technologies, interaction wit ... Full text Cite

At the Interface: Multimodal Sensing and Intelligent Learning Systems: The Dynamic Transformation of the Cityscape and Its Ongoing Study

Book section · January 1, 2020 The contemporary city is quickly changing in line with the quixotic nature of today’s array of computational media. As a result, we need to begin to create new technological methodologies to aid in the study of the cityscape over time. This chapter present ... Full text Open Access Cite

Continuum Computing

Book section · 2018 Cite

Roy Ascott – Early Interactive Work and Some Cybernetic Relationalities (forthcoming)

Journal article Cybernetics and Human Knowing: a journal of second order cybernetics, autopoiesis and cyber-semiotics · 2018 Open Access Cite

Towards A Dynamic Heterarchical Ecology Of Conversations (forthcoming)

Journal article Cybernetics and Human Knowing: a journal of second order cybernetics, autopoiesis and cyber-semiotics · 2018 Open Access Cite

THE_OPER&

Artistic production · 2018 THE_OPER& (“the operand”) is an opera that talks to its singers and its audience. The conversation includes us because we are all living in a world increasingly mediated by technology, and we are all trying to understand what that means. Operas normally co ... Link to item Cite

Neosentient Architecture Generator

Conference Proceedings 2015 International Conference on Cyberworlds Cw 2015 · February 3, 2016 This paper outlines an approach to a series of «open» purpose «architecture» generators and related systems. The word «architecture» is here defined in the broadest of linguistic manners. This paper outlines the long-term goals for the facilitation of the ... Full text Cite

Anticipation

Book section · January 1, 2016 The paper will outline the role of anticipatory systems as part of a set of computationally driven creative processes. Here the goal is to both use the computer as a tool functioning in the service of human creative processes e.g. authoring a system to hel ... Full text Cite

Anticipation

Book section · September 23, 2015 The paper will outline the role of anticipatory systems as part of a set of computationally driven creative processes. Here the goal is to both use the computer as a tool functioning in the service of human creative processes e.g. authoring a system to hel ... Full text Cite

Generative works: From recombinant poetics to recombinant informatics

Conference Proceedings 2014 International Conference on Cyberworlds Cw 2014 · December 9, 2014 Seaman has been active in the creation of differing Cyber worlds from the early 90's onward. This paper will cover historical approaches including The World Generator/The Engine of Desire (1996 to present) a generative virtual environment-exploring Recombi ... Full text Cite

s_traits

Digital art · November 4, 2014 "s_traits" is an album of generative electronic music written by composer John Supko and media artist Bill Seaman on the Manchester, UK label Cotton Goods. s_traits is the product of three minds: two human, one artificial. With a discarded electronic track ... Link to item Cite

A multi-perspective approach to knowledge production

Journal article Kybernetes · October 28, 2014 Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss a Multi-perspective approach to knowledge production in terms of a set of cybernetic concepts relevant to the approach; to describe a software system that computationally embodies the approach; and to articu ... Full text Open Access Cite

s_traits

Digital art · 2014 "s_traits" is an album of generative electronic music I made with Bill Seaman. It was released in 2014 on the Manchester (UK) label Cotton Goods. We started our collaboration by making a sample library from the discarded electronic track to an early vers ... Link to item Cite

From Recombinant Poetics to Recombinant Informatics

Conference 2014 International Conference on Cyberworlds (CW) · 2014 Link to item Cite

Theoretical Architectures

Digital art · 2014 The shadow landscapes on hard plaster secure the days. ... Link to item Cite

Computational Creativity | A Multi-perspective Approach

Other TBA · November 2013 Featured Publication In this talk I will discuss Computational Creativity | A multi-perspective Approach. Building on historical references to cybernetics and artificial intelligence, I will also introduce my more recent collaborative research with Otto Rössler on Neosentience ... Cite

Four Transcultural Case Studies: Transmedial Walks, Drives and Observations,

Journal article · 2013 Featured Publication This article discusses four different case studies related to complex technological works that were created through international collaborations. The Exquisite Mechanism of Shivers/Ex.Mech Red Dice/Des Chiffré Com↔Space A China of Many Senses The article d ... Open Access Cite

Neosentience and the Abstraction of Abstraction

Journal article · 2013 Featured Publication This paper employs a survey methodology to point at notions surrounding “the reflexive” and “reciprocity” drawn from the history of Cybernetics as it falls in relation to current “Neosentient” research. Seaman and O. E. Rössler have been involved in a deca ... Open Access Cite

From Neosentience to Recombinant Informatics, A Research Overview

Journal article · 2013 Featured Publication An overview of Seaman’s research relevant to new forms of Computer Science, Technology and Application covers a number of different theoretical research areas and approaches including the examination of new (and historical) studies that seek to look holist ... Open Access Cite

The Engine of Engines - Toward A Computational Ecology

Conference · July 13, 2012 Our knowledge related to the entailments of functionalities of different biological processes as they enable sentience to arise in the human is still limited due to the biological complexity of the body. There are two interrelated research paradigms that c ... Cite

White Paper

Book section · July 2012 This is the final outcome of the INBIOSA project which ends by the end of December 2011. A slighly different version including some appendices will be delivered to the EC later. We believe that this White Paper is a defining document that can be used to di ... Cite

The Engine of Engines - Toward A Computational Ecology

Book section · 2012 Our knowledge related to the entailments of functionalities of different biological processes as they enable sentience to arise in the human is still limited due to the biological complexity of the body. There are two interrelated research paradigms that c ... Cite

Four transcultural case studies: Transmedial walks, drives and observations

Journal article Technoetic Arts · January 1, 2012 This article discusses four different case studies related to complex technological works that were created through international collaborations. The Exquisite Mechanism of Shivers/Ex.Mech• Red Dice/Des Chiffré• Com Space •A China of Many Senses The articl ... Full text Open Access Cite

Stepping beyond the newtonian paradigm in biology towards an integrable model of life: Accelerating discovery in the biological foundations of science

Book section · January 1, 2012 The INBIOSA project brings together a group of experts across many disciplines who believe that science requires a revolutionary transformative step in order to address many of the vexing challenges presented by the world. It is INBIOSA’s purpose to enable ... Full text Cite

The Engine of Engines

Artistic production · 2012 Link to item Cite

A China of Many Senses

Artistic production · 2012 Generative Version with Todd Berreth ... Link to item Cite

Art <-> Science Relationalities

Conference International Symposium on Electronic Art Proceedings (forthcoming) · 2011 Cite

Neosentience | The Benevolence Engine

Book · 2011 Coined by artist and media researcher Bill Seaman, “neosentience” describes a new branch of scientific inquiry related to artificial intelligence. This volume explores the groundbreaking work of Seaman and theoretical physicist Otto E. Rossler in exploring ... Cite

Exchange Fields (Digital Remake)

Artistic production · 2010 with Regina Van Berkel. Major Digital Remake of Installation and Exhibition. ... Cite

OULIPO|vs|Recombinant Poetics

Book section · 2009 Cite

Combinatoric Micro-strategies for Emergent Transdisciplinary Education

Book section · 2009 The potential is to develop a series of both human and computational processes (see glossary) to augment transdisciplinary education, in part employing specific technologically mediated linguistic framing mechanisms. One also seeks to employ generative sys ... Cite

Architecture of Associaiton

Artistic production · 2008 Cite

The Watch Detail, City Tower

Artistic production · 2008 Cite

Recombinant Poetics

Book section · 2007 Cite

Com<->Space

Artistic production · 2007 Collaboration with Designer Yeong-woong Cheong ... Cite

Recombinant Poetics: The Thoughtbody Environment

Journal article a Minima Magazine · 2005 Cite

The ThoughtbodyEnvironment 1

Artistic production · 2005 Boston Cyberarts, Cambridge, MA ... Cite

Exchange Fields

Artistic production · 2004 List Gallery, Brown University, Providence, RI ... Cite

Epiphany/Zjavenie

Artistic production · 2004 Galeria Jana Koniarka Trnava, Slovakia ... Cite

Epiphany/Zjavenie

Artistic production · 2004 Samorin, Slovakia ... Cite

(RE)Sensing the Observer — Offering an Open Order Cybernetics

Journal article Technoetic Arts: a journal of speculative research · 2004 Cite

Toward the Production of Nano-computers and in turn Nano-related Emotive Virtual/Physical Environments

Journal article Intelligent Agent · 2004 Paper presented at the conference "Emotional Architectures/Cognitive Armatures", The Banff Center, Canada, Sept. 2001. ... Link to item Cite

The Hybrid Invention Generator — Assorted Relations

Journal article Technoetic Arts: a journal of speculative research · 2003 Cite

“Red Dice / Dés Chiffrés”

Artistic production · 2001 The Daniel Langlois Foundation / Cinémateque Québecoise, Montreal, Canada ... Cite

Exchange Fields: Embodied Positioning as Interface Strategy

Journal issue Convergence Magazine · 2001 Cite

Motioning Toward the Emergent Definition of E-phany Physics

Conference Consciousness Reframed 3: Conference Proceedings · 2000 Cite

“Red Dice / Dés Chiffrés”

Artistic production · 2000 Canadian National Gallery, Ottowa, Canada ... Cite

Nonsense Logic

Book section · 1999 Cite

Emergent Constructions: Re-embodied Intelligence within Recombinant Poetic Networks,

Journal article Digital Creativity 9. 3, pp 153–160 · 1998 Cite

1997

Book section · 1997 Cite

The World Generator/The Engine of Desire with Gideon May

Artistic production · 1997 C3–Center for Culture & Communication, Budapest, Hungary ... Cite

Passagen Kombinationen/Man Manövriert Drehungen auf der Zungenspitze

Artistic production · 1997 Sprengle Museum, Hannover, Germany ... Cite

Passagen Kombinationen/Man Manövriert Drehungen auf der Zungenspitze

Artistic production · 1996 Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany ... Cite

Passage Sets/One Pulls Pivots at the Tip of the Tongue

Artistic production · 1995 Level 2 Project Space, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia ... Cite

Abstraction Machine/Erotic—The Voyeur of Light

Artistic production · 1994 Room 32, Sydney, Australia ... Cite

The Exquisite Mechanism of Shivers, Japanese Translation Version

Artistic production · 1994 EX.MECH, Inter Communication Gallery, NTT Media Lab, Tokyo, Japan ... Cite

Photo Sentences and Word Drawings

Artistic production · 1993 Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney, Australia ... Cite

The Exquisite Mechanism of Shivers

Artistic production · 1992 Experimental Art Foundation, Adelaide, Australia ... Cite

Selected Tapes and Word Drawings

Artistic production · 1991 Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney, Australia ... Cite

The Design of the Grip

Artistic production · 1989 Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), Boston, Massachusetts ... Cite

Water Wheel

Artistic production · 1985 Visible Studies Workshop, Rochester, New York ... Cite

“The Engine of Engines - Toward A Computational Ecology.” W. Seaman. Integral Biomathics: Tracing the Road to Reality - Proceedings of ACIB’11 Conference in Stirling, Scotland, August 29-31, 2011 and iBioMath’2011 Workshop at ECAL’11, Paris.. Edited by P. L. Simeonov, L. S. Smith, A. C. Ehresmann (Eds.).. (Winter, 2011) (July 13, 2012).

Book section Our knowledge related to the entailments of functionalities of different biological processes as they enable sentience to arise in the human is still limited due to the biological complexity of the body. There are two interrelated research paradigms that c ... Cite