Definitions of Design

This opening chapter establishes the basis for design theory by presenting a range of definitions of design. Employing both analytic and historicist philosophical methods, it starts from an ontological vantage point and aims to identify the essence of design shared by all of its products—“from the spoon to the city”—which concerns both functionality and aesthetics; the relations between which are unique to design. This basic formula is elaborated on through various definitions of design. This chapter evaluates definitions from texts related to design from antiquity to the current day and divides them according to their underlying views of ontology and human nature: normative versus descriptive definitions; internalist or mentalist versus externalist or materialist; definitions rationalist versus anti-rationalist definitions; socially or politically oriented definitions; functionalist versus formalist definitions; and normative social definitions.