Gilbert Simondon
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Gilbert Simondon (October 2, 1924 – February 7, 1989) was a French philosopher with an interest in technology.
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[edit] Career
A student of philosopher of science Georges Canguilhem, Martial Gueroult, and phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Gilbert Simondon studied at the Ecole Normale Supérieure and Sorbonne University. His major works are Du mode d'existence des objets techniques and L'individuation psychique et collective, which was also his thesis.
[edit] Individuation and technology
In the latter work, Simondon developed a theory of individual and collective individuation, in which the individual subject is considered as an effect of individuation, rather than a cause. Thus the individual atom is replaced by the neverending ontological process of individuation. Simondon also conceived of "pre-individual fields" as the funds making individuation itself possible. Individuation is an always incomplete process, always leaving a "pre-individual" left-over, itself making possible future individuations. Furthermore, individuation always creates both an individual and a collective subject, which individuate themselves together.
Gilbert Simondon criticized Norbert Wiener's theory of cybernetics, arguing that, "Right from the start, Cybernetics has accepted what all theory of technology must refuse: a classification of technological objects conducted by means of established criteria and following genera and species." Simondon aimed to overcome the shortcomings of cybernetics developing a "general phenomenology" of machines.
[edit] Influence
Simondon's theory of individuation through "transduction" in a "metastable" environment was an important influence on the thought of Gilles Deleuze. Bernard Stiegler has also made extensive use of Simondon's account of psychic and collective individuation, while nevertheless maintaining a critique of Simondon's account of technology.
[edit] References
[edit] Primary literature
- Du mode d'existence des objets techniques (Méot, 1958; second ed. Paris Aubier, 1989).
- L'individu et sa genèse physico-biologique (l'individuation à la lumière des notions de forme et d'information), Paris 1964 (PUF, Second ed. J.Millon, coll. Krisis, 1995).
- L'individuation psychique et collective (Paris Aubier, 1989; thesis).
Published 2005-2006
- L’Invention dans les techniques, Cours et conferences, Éd. du Seuil, coll. "Traces écrites".
- L’Individuation à la lumière des notions de forme et d’information, Jérôme Millon, coll. Krisis.
- Cours sur la perception (1964-1965), Préface de Renaud Barbaras, Éd. de La Tansparence.
[edit] Secondary literature
- Barthélémy, Jean-Hugues, Penser l'individuation. Simondon et la philosophie de la nature (Paris: L'Harmattan, 2005).
- Barthélémy, Jean-Hugues, Penser la connaissance et la technique après Simondon (Paris: L'Harmattan, 2005).
- During, Elie, Simondon au pied du mur (in French).
- Hottois, Gilbert, Simondon et la philosophie de la culture technique (Brussels: De Boeck, 1992).
- Mackenzie, Adrian, Transductions: Bodies and Machines at Speed (Continuum Press, 2002). ISBN 0-8264-5883-1
- Stiegler, Bernard, Nanomutations, Hypomnemata, and Grammatisation.
- Stiegler, Bernard, Technics and Time, 1: The Fault of Epimetheus (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1998).
- Stiegler, Bernard, Temps et individuation technique, psychique, et collective dans l’oeuvre de Simondon (in French).
- Revue philosophique, Gilbert Simondon, n°3/2006, (Paris: P.U.F., 2006)
