The Epistemology of the Word ‘Design’ with a Phenomenological Approach

The word “Design” in English and its equivalent in the Persian language, “Tarahi” has abundant meanings and vast usages in the art and architecture fields and higher education related to them. The extensive nature and lots of variations of this word (design) in order to mach to different approaches, movements and new scientific and technologic progresses, has caused some ambiguities and confusions in obtaining an unit and comprehensive meaning of this word. This problem, especially when related to the subject of education, causes disturbance in the redaction, understanding and education of syllabuses that are naturally related to design or are engaged with its process in some degrees. The main purposs of this article is epistemology of the word “design” with adopting a descriptive and analythical research methodology with a phenomological approach and with application of scientific tools of terminology and etymology. This research uses library and documental research tools for collecting information and data. The results of this research reveals the multilayer and multi-dimentional meaning of deisgn in the current age and therefore this research is not seeking to provide a comprehensive meaning of this word, but determination of evolution it from languistics, philosophical, historical and technological aspects in order to reveal the hidden and inner relationship of them together to obtain a more clear understanding of this word and its meaning in the current era. The nessesity of awareness of this evolution for obtaining an accurate understanding of the word design is inevitable. Although the words of design and drawing in some cases have common roots and meaning especially in Persian language, they are completely different in meaning and application. The word design itself is a complicated word with different meanings according its application. The current word design has roots in French, Italian and Latin languages and has passed a very long evolutionary process to get to the position it has today. From a phenomenological perspective, the word design has a close connection with art, technology and machine words, as neither of them would be deeply understandable without the others. From a philosophical point of view, in the modern era, design has had the duty of reconnecting art and technology which had separated after the industrial revolution. In the twentieth century. The arts and crafts movement and Bauhaus Style have had a great influence on the meaning of the word design today. Today, the word design obtained such wide meanings and applications that it is almost impossible to provide a unit and only definition of it. Design’s meaning according the time, place, application, aim and many other elements could change. The definitions regarding the word design have three main common features including; process ability, having purpose and problem solving. Today design plays a mediator role for many expertise. From this perspective, Today, design can be considered as a living organism that is always under metamorphose and adjustment in accordance with changes in circumstances and new progresses and this will continue forever.