Mark C Marino Bücher

Critical Code Studies (CCS) introduces methodologies for exploring computer source code through the lens of humanities hermeneutics. It posits that code is not merely functional but can be interpreted as a text, accessible even to non-programmers. The author emphasizes that code's meaning is shaped not only by the programmer's intent but also by its reception and circulation. This highlights the importance of the rhetorical triad of speaker, audience (human and machine), and message in understanding code. As computer source code increasingly influences political, legal, aesthetic, and popular discourse, it is read by a diverse audience, including lawyers, corporate managers, artists, and scholars. Code plays a role in political debates, artistic exhibitions, and historical narratives. With the expanding readership and evolving programming languages, it is essential to develop methods for tracing how code accumulates meaning and how context influences interpretation. Understanding code's functionality is crucial, but so is grasping its significance. CCS provides a "starting kit" of techniques for scholars and interested individuals to interpret code in non-computational contexts, fostering critical reading of code.