I have recently met with Professor hiroshi Shimuzu, who is a scientist and philosopher. He has been working on the theory of BA, a field theory about the existence of individual people and surrounding factors, which affect them. His theory that interrelationships affect each person’s identity seems to share the basic concept held by David Bohm. Maintaining the interpersonal relationships of each person, not influenced by determinism but based on a total relationship, means that each person and his/her whole condition become very important. This way of thinking maintains that better communication comes from keeping better inner-relationships between an element and its whole. He thinks that co-creation and collaboration are more important than aggressive competition.

I do not have enough space here to discuss the details of such a theory. But for the future development of communication based on the network, and especially that based on digital technology, this theory could be very helpful for future human communication. This has seemingly been done without the overtly conscious awareness of Oriental Interpersonal relationships. Therefore, Electronic has already set the first real influential stage for connecting people with each other, In summary, as I mentioned at the beginning, the growth of Ars Electronica has not simply come from the development of media technology or from the digital network. It was brought about by another type of network based on human contact and interrelationships between one and the whole. I hope that an inter-feedback system of personal sympathy between human beings will develop. It is also my hope that this system will function as a future node, bridging the arts and science as well as bringing diversified culture to the world.

---------1979-2004 Ars Electronica