Remediation - Quote

More a definition than quote, I paused most on reading Bolter's definition of media on page 65, "a medium is that which remediates."

Within the context of his thesis, this definition of medium makes sense, a product that remediates other media to function, but my crankiness over reading this goes beyond the traditional "never define something with that something as part of the definition." That holds in this instance, but more importantly, I think it presents a medium as nothing/non-existent without prior mediums, and while all media draw extensively upon one another, they are not solely responsible for the creation of new media, nor is the remediation of existing media the sole genesis for the existence of new mediums. Or maybe it is, but feels too limiting in scope.

I consider our discussion on Print/Manuscript/Book culture to be a prime example, as we discussed all the technologies and factors that influence(d) transition from one to the other and the widespread purposes these media serve. Suggesting The book is a remediation of print may be accurate, but it does not fully and adequetely capture book culture.