On the multiplicity of artifacts: A typology including regulatory artifacts

Abstract

There are various studies on specific types of artifacts. Many of them have focused on “technical artifacts” and “cognitive artifacts”; and, more recently, other studies have examined “regulatory artifacts”. However, a general typology is still lacking. This article aims to build such a typological framework based on the identification of three macro-categories of artifacts – i.e. behaviour-supporting, behaviour-engaging, and behaviour-influencing – and on the identification of ten sub-categories within them: (i) descriptive artifacts; (ii) technical artifacts; (iii) cognitive artifacts; (iv) detecting artifacts; (v) ludic artifacts; (vi) artistic artifacts; (vii) status artifacts; (viii) deontic artifacts; (ix) constitutive artifacts; (x) steering artifacts. On the basis of this typology, five points are highlighted. First, the suggested typology illustrates how many human activities are mediated by some kind of artifact; we could say that artifacts have not only been the product of human intelligence but they have also been an active trigger of it. Second, the proposed typology sheds light on the fact that artifacts can perform not only traditionally, widely discussed technical or cognitive functions but also regulatory ones. Third, if regulatory artifacts are also considered, the maker's intentionality is confirmed as being of central importance in defining what artifacts are. Fourth, the proposed typology shows that the different types of artifacts produce their effects in different ways: in certain cases, their performance is for instance mainly based on causal mechanisms, whilst in other cases on mainly symbolic mechanisms. Fifth, the typology illuminates significant differences between humans and animals.