CIRCULAR / LINEAR / TIME
In Te Ao Māori, time is cyclical: both the beginning and end are part of the same phenomenon. The past, present and future are experienced simultaneously. The whakatauki (proverb)‘Ka mua, ka muri’ is the idea that we walk backwards into the future. It tells us that we must look to the past to inform the future. Circular time in Te Ao Māori reflects the belief that events and experiences recur in cycles. In contrast, time in Western culture is a progression from past to present to future, with events unfolding in a linear sequence. This perspective often focuses on progress, development and the pursuit of individual goals over time.
DATA / VISUALISATION
Data-visualisation is the graphical representation of data and information. This process involves creating visual elements such as charts, graphs, maps and dashboards to communicate insights, patterns and trends within the data. Data-visualisation helps in making complex datasets more accessible and understandable to a wide audience, enabling better decision-making and analysis.
DECISION / MAKING
Signal Detection Theory (SDT) is a framework used to measure decision-making in the presence of uncertainty, particularly in situations involving the detection of faint or ambiguous signals against background noise. Its origins lie in psychology but it has applications in various fields, such as medicine, engineering and economics. SDT involves distinguishing between two types of judgements: detecting the presence of a signal (signal detection) and deciding what that signal is (discrimination). It considers factors such as signal strength, noise level, decision criteria and the observer's sensitivity.
There are two types of bias in Signal Detection Theory: response bias, whereby the observer consistently favours one response over another, regardless of the actual presence of the signal; and, the second, the threshold an observer sets for making a decision about the absence or presence of a signal.
FATE / SYNCHRONICITY / ANGEL / NUMBERS
Fate refers to the idea that events or outcomes in life are predetermined and inevitable, beyond the control of individuals. It suggests that certain occurrences are destined to happen, regardless of human effort, and that the course of one’s life is guided by an overarching, often mysterious, force. In many philosophical, religious and literary contexts, fate is viewed as an unavoidable power, one that shapes the future, and is often contrasted with free will, which emphasises personal choice and autonomy.
Synchronicity is a concept introduced by psychoanalyst Carl Jung and refers to the meaningful coincidence of events that seem unrelated but occur together in a way that is not due to chance. These events are connected by meaning rather than by cause and effect, suggesting that there is a deeper underlying order in the universe. Synchronicity highlights how personal experiences or external events align in a way that feels significant, often providing insight, guidance or a sense of connection to something greater.
Angel numbers are sequences of repeating numbers believed to carry spiritual messages from the divine, or guardian, angels. Each pattern, for example, 111 or 444, is thought to offer guidance, reassurance or insight, with specific meanings tied to each number, such as new beginnings or protection. Popular in numerology and New Age spirituality, angel numbers are seen as signs to trust intuition and to stay aligned with one’s path.
FLOOD / LIGHT
A floodlight is an outdoor lighting fixture designed to emit a broad, intense beam of light. It provides uniform illumination over a wide area and is often used in large outdoor spaces for security, safety and visibility purposes. Floodlights can be mounted on poles, walls or ceilings, and they use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as their light source.
GRIEF / LOSS
Grief is the deep emotional response to loss, typically experienced after the death of a loved one, but it can also arise from other significant losses, such as the end of a relationship, loss of a job or major life changes. Grief is a complex and multifaceted process, one that involves a range of emotions, including sadness, anger, confusion, guilt and sometimes even relief. The experience of grief is highly individual and can vary in intensity and duration, depending on the person and the nature of the loss. Psychologists like Elisabeth Kübler-Ross have described grief as occurring in stages, these being denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, although not everyone experiences these stages in a linear way. Grief can also have physical, social and spiritual dimensions, affecting a person’s overall wellbeing. It is a natural part of life’s process and allows people to process their emotions and eventually come to terms with their loss.
HAWKISH / DOVISH
In economics, hawkish refers to a policy stance that prioritises controlling inflation over promoting economic growth. A hawkish approach typically involves advocating for higher interest rates or tighter monetary policy to curb inflationary pressures. Central banks or policy-makers may adopt a hawkish stance when they perceive that inflation is rising too quickly. Dovish refers to a policy stance that prioritises promoting economic growth and employment over controlling inflation. A dovish approach typically involves advocating for lower interest rates or looser monetary policy to stimulate economic activity. Central banks or policy-makers may adopt a dovish stance when they perceive that economic growth is sluggish, unemployment is high or inflation is below their target level.
Hawkish contrasts with dovish, which favours more accommodative policies to stimulate economic activity, even if it risks higher inflation. The term dovish contrasts with hawkish, which favours tighter monetary policies to curb inflation, even if it risks slowing economic growth.
INCUBATION / CRISIS
Incubation refers to the process of keeping something in the appropriate conditions to allow it to develop or grow. This term is commonly used to describe the process of keeping eggs warm so that they hatch, but it's also used in business to describe the nurturing and development of ideas or projects. In economics, a Black Swan refers to an event or occurrence that is extremely rare, unexpected and has a significant impact. These events are often unpredictable and can have far-reaching consequences, such as financial crises or market crashes. The concept highlights the limitations of traditional forecasting and risk-management methods, as they often fail to account for such extreme and unforeseen events.
KĀTAHI / RĀ/HOKI
Kātahi rā/hoki is an exclamation in te reo Māori used to express disapproval or amazement about an unusual idea or activity. These exclamations translate into ‘English as Good grief!’, ‘Heavens above!’, ‘Goodness gracious!’ Sometimes both rā and hoki are used for emphasis.
MONOCULAR / BINOCULAR / VISION
Monocular vision and binocular vision refer to the two different ways by which both animals and humans perceive the visual world. Monocular vision relies on input from one eye. Each eye provides its own separate visual input, allowing for depth perception through cues such as relative size, interposition (overlap), texture gradient, motion parallax and linear perspective. Monocular vision is sufficient for basic depth perception and navigation in the environment. Binocular vision involves the simultaneous use of both eyes to perceive the visual world. The brain integrates the slightly different images received from each eye to create a single, three-dimensional perception of the environment. Binocular vision provides more accurate depth perception and allows for tasks such as judging distances, perceiving depth and accurately grasping objects in space.
SIGNATURE / OATH
A signature is used as a way for individuals to authenticate documents, contracts or agreements. It is a common method of verifying identity and authorship, although electronic signatures are increasingly used in digital transactions. The origin of the oath, ‘the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth’, has evolved over time in the legal tradition of Western law. It proposes to reflect the principles of honesty and integrity in legal proceedings, ensuring that witnesses provide accurate testimony.
SOUND WAVES / WAVEFORMS
Sound waves are vibrations that travel through space. They're created when an object vibrates, causing molecules to compress and expand, producing a series of compressions and rarefactions. These waves propagate through the air or another medium, transporting the energy of the sound to our ears and allowing us to hear. Sound waves are typically represented visually as waveforms. In a waveform representation, sound waves are depicted as a series of alternating compressions and rarefactions over time. The amplitude (height) of the waveform indicates the intensity or loudness of the sound, while the frequency (distance between peaks) indicates the pitch or tone of the sound. Visually, sound waveforms can vary, depending on factors such as the type of sound, its frequency and its amplitude.
SUSPENDED / SCENE
A suspended scene refers to a moment where the action pauses to create a sense of anticipation or tension. It’s often used for dramatic effect or to build suspense. In such scenes, characters may be caught in a critical situation, facing a decision or experiencing a significant revelation, leaving the observer in suspense as they await the resolution or continuation of the scene.
Transmission is a concurrent response to the exhibition SIGNAL DETECTION (2024) and considers the role of text in expanding on an experience of an exhibition while also existing within its own parameters. An expanded index, a response, a signal was designed to fit in other formats and has been expanded for this issue of un Magazine. It is a navigation tool for the reader and has space to allow for personal notes and annotations.