Self-knowledge by proxy: Parsons on philosophy of design and the Modernist vision

In 2016, Glenn Parsons published his book The Philosophy of Design, in which he presents a substantial amount of philosophical insight about design in general, and about the Modernist approach to design in particular. The book may be used as a textbook, but can also be read as a research monograph. In this paper I offer a detailed review of the book, seen as a contribution to design research. As such, I find it highly original and commendable, although not entirely immune to disagreement. I highlight what I see as the main line of reasoning, as a guide to other readers, and develop a number of considerations of my own. These byproducts of the reviewing process include a reflection on the viability of Modernist design thinking; some background on the nature and origins of the philosophy of design as a discipline; a defense of the notion of a stable essence of the concept of design; and a critical analysis of Parsons’ definition of design.