Virilio Kritik Juniors NDI 2012

7/25/2019 Virilio Kritik Juniors NDI 2012

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Virilio K


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The Accident 1NC

Innovation of Transportation focuses on xing andadvancing the mechanism that failed and necessaril!conceals the attachment of the accident to the machineKuswa, 2004 (Kevin, P.h. D. in Rhetoric from UT, Department of Rhetoric and Communication Studies at Richmond,Machinic Rhetoric, Hi h!a"s and #nterpe$$atin Motions%, http&''!!!.rhi omes.net'issue)'*us!a.htm +

By merging perspectives on traffic and accidents, we find ourselves approaching modernity from an odd direction: within.

Tra"c and commerce (the movement of people and goods # are t!picall! signs of$health$ for a communit! !et too much tra"c is often cited as anillness that has a%icted societ!& Too much tra"c also ris'saccidents spiraling into even greater tra"c& The subject-position of the driver ispotentially threatened by the accident, while the subject-position of the traffic manager is perpetually warding off the

accident. (efore and after the accident the movement of )odies ta'esplace in an attempt to govern the $event$ itself & The accident may be an immutablerupture or interruption: a moment when the body can no longer deterritorialize itself through the micropolitics of highwayidentities. The human body and institutional bodies are thrust together through the everyday trauma surrounding road

accidents and highway fatalities. receding a given accident, which is inevitable but randomly occurring an entireassem)lage exists to govern safet! and securit! on the road*ever!thing from license re+uirements (often a critical passage into maturity or adulthood!to vehicle innovations such as shoulder*)elts or non*re,ective-indshields& Through the expansion of high-a!s and theproliferation of the automo)ile death and life in America havemoved precariousl! close to the side of the road . " #$%& The body is already ground-brea'ing in both everyday and revolutionary ways. The body is organic and machinic as it moves from one mode toanother: by operating the speed and acceleration of a motorized vehicle, by strapping to a chair via a seat belt, and by

obeying or brea'ing speed limit laws. n sum, -e should ta'e the )od!.s relation to theroad the vehicle and the accident as crucial sites of modernit!.sconcentrations and movements . ) few concepts related to speeds, rates, and modes ofproduction and transportation will help to lin' together the highway machine in many ways. )ppropriate for the study ofspeed, *irilio begins his + article on the accident with an instein reference: / vents do not come, they are here/(*irilio, + !. " #$0& 1rom instein, *irilio sprints through a chain reaction of the last 02 years of history, gesturing to

3iroshima, radioactivity, Three 4ile sland, fusion, and fission to contend: / po-er is no longer afunction of matter element )ut of immaterialit! energeticperformance ./ *irilio plots a cluster of issues in /The rimal )ccident/ that magnify the plane of consistency setup by our previous maps of subjectivity drawn by 5eleuze 6 7uattari. nitially, *irilio reverses the opposition between the

accident and substance. The accident*t!picall! conceived as ,eetingtemporar! relative or contingent*has generall! )een contrasted-ith the a)solute and universal connotations of su)stance & 8oo'ing at the8atin root accidens , *irilio notes how the unanticipated /the surprise# )ecame part of theaccident.s m!tholog! . n other words the surprise failure that )efalls amechanism or product is an accidental destruction& Thedisplacement of responsi)ilit! intrinsic in the use of accident allo-s the)lame and the surprise to focus on the $mechanism that failed$ andnot the operation of the mechanism itself& *irilio9s point is that theassociation of an accident -ith an unexpected misfortune should )e+uestioned& " #$ & )ssuming that failure is not built-in or programmed into the mechanism may be a mista'e.0e cannot separate life and death and -e cannot separate the
http://www.rhizomes.net/issue8/kuswa.htmhttp://www.rhizomes.net/issue8/kuswa.htmhttp://www.rhizomes.net/issue8/kuswa.htmhttp://www.rhizomes.net/issue8/kuswa.htm


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machine from the accident& 1or *irilio (+ , p$+$!, the accident itself can )eattached to $the product from the moment of its production orimplementation&$ roduction interpellates destruction. The mode of production cannot stand without themode of destruction. The high-a! machine ma! generate tra"c and thepossi)ilit! of managing that tra"c )ut such production )ringsdestruction : the decimation of the earth9s ecology through rapid fossil fuel consumption as well as the demolitionof vehicles and desolation of human bodies that arrive in an endless stream of road fatalities. 4oving the modern awayfrom structure and more toward vectors and trajectories, *irilio (+ , p$+$! inverts the substance of accidents: "

ince the production of an! .su)stance. is simultaneousl! theproduction of a t!pical accident )rea'do-n or failure is less thederegulation of production than the production of a speci c failure oreven a partial or total destruction....;ne could imagine a fundamental modification in the direction of research toward aprospective of the accident.


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Vote neg* reversal is necessar! to reinvent the mode ofproduction and ma'e recognition of the accident as anintrinsic element of production possi)le& This acts as aprere+uisite to avoiding accidental catastrophe andunderstanding the development at hand&Kuswa, 2004 (Kevin, P.h. D. in Rhetoric from UT, Department of Rhetoric and Communication Studies at Richmond,Machinic Rhetoric, Hi h!a"s and #nterpe$$atin Motions%, http&''!!!.rhi omes.net'issue)'*us!a.htm+

Assuming that failure is not )uilt*in or programmed into themechanism ma! )e a mista'e& 0e cannot separate life and deathand -e cannot separate the machine from the accident # $or Virilio 99.,p2 2 # the accident itself can )e attached to $the product from themoment of its production or implementation& / ro"u tion interpellates"estru tion# The mo"e of pro"u tion annot stan" without the mo"e of "estru tion# The high-a!

machine ma! generate tra"c and the possi)ilit! of managing thattra"c )ut such production )rings destruction5 the "e imation of the earth1se olog through rapi" fossil fuel onsumption as well as the "emolition of vehi les an" "esolation ofhuman %o"ies that arrive in an en"less stream of roa" fatalities# 6oving the modern a-a!from structure and more to-ard vectors and tra7ectories , Virilio 99.,p2 23 inverts the su)stance of accidents 5 ince the production of an!.su)stance. is simultaneousl! the production of a t!pical accident)rea'do-n or failure is less the deregulation of production than theproduction of a speci c failure or even a partial or total "estru tion#### ne oul" imaginea fun"amental mo"i) ation in the "ire tion of resear h towar" a prospe tive of the a i"ent# 5i nce theaccident is invented at the moment the o)7ect is scienti call!discovered or technicall! developed , perhaps -e could reverse things

and directl! invent the accident in order to determine the nature ofthe reno-ned .su)stance. of the implicitl! discovered product ormechanism , there)! av oiding the development of certain supposedl!accidental catastrophes &


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8NC 9rame-or'The Kriti' is a prere+uisite to politics* ociet! -illinevita)l! collapse -ithout recognition of the role thatspeed has

6ames 7 Ian, &niversit le turer, "epartment of $ren h at 8owning ollege of am%ri"ge &niversit , aul Virilio! :outle"ge# 2007# # 40-4 3 8romolog , spee"-spa e an" light-time Virilio is perhaps most wi"el (nown as a thin(er of spee" an"as a pra titioner of the ;s ien e of spee", that is, ;"romolog # 8romolog an" other terms su h as;"romos op an" ;"romosphere are neologisms oine" % Virilio himself an" "erive from the


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>ecogni:ing the epistemolog! of speed is a prere+uisiteto creating ethical policies* ?)session -ith speed replacesthe s!stem that values human life and turns neigh)orsinto unrealitiesVirilio , aul? 8egener, *i hael Translate" % 3# Cegative BoriDon > =n Jssain 8romos op #

on"on, ontinuum International u%lishing, 200A # p A2#http>MMsite#e%rar # omMli%MnorthwesternM8o Gi"N 02@E0E2OppgNA2

op right P 200A# ontinuum International u%lishing# =ll rights reserve"#3

The institutionaliDation of the nuptial a%"u tion Qrapft pertains to the logi % whi h %eing arrie" awaQenlevementR on eals the a elerate" movement of the ra e, as a su%stitute for the hunt# Thedetachment of the geographic and terrestrial )od! than's to thedomestication of the animal )od! as a vector of transport is also theinauguration of a desociali:ation # If ester"a , in the unit of the neigh%ourhoo", theother -as )oth 'no-n and recogni:ed through the dail! repetition of encounters -ith the transportation revolution this neigh)our -ill)ecome a .spectre. that one -ill onl! see again accidentall! theforeigner -ill remain hidden among us S The opening to outsi"e in uen es will notonl favour a %etter ommuni ation %etween groups, the perfe ting of eF hanges, it -ill also)ring a)out this ,eeting presence of the other > the ver notion of a neigh%ourwill at some point "isappear for ever, this (ineti a""i tion to the su""en "isappearan e of the ongenerwill have the tragi hara ter of a so ial "ivor e# T he corporeal presence of the other-ill seem to lose its realit! ? in passing, as a passenger, eeting, the other will %e i"enti)e"with its inemati image millennia %efore the invention of inema, the fuga it of the horseman pertains toan i"enti al phenomenon of retinal persisten e where the irrealit! of the course -ill no-hunt the ph!sical realit! of )odies advancing the formida)lepersistence of signs&


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2in's


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8NC Transportation 2in' 0all

1# Concealment*

Innovation of Transportation focuses on xing andadvancing the mechanism that failed and conceals theattachment of the accident to the machineKuswa, 2004 (Kevin, P.h. D. in Rhetoric from UT, Department of Rhetoric and Communication Studies at Richmond,Machinic Rhetoric, Hi h!a"s and #nterpe$$atin Motions%, http&''!!!.rhi omes.net'issue)'*us!a.htm +

By merging perspectives on traffic and accidents, we find ourselves approaching modernity from an odd direction: within.

Tra"c and commerce (the movement of people and goods # are t!picall! signs of$health$ for a communit! !et too much tra"c is often cited as anillness that has a%icted societ!& Too much tra"c also ris'saccidents spiraling into even greater tra"c& The subject-position of the driver ispotentially threatened by the accident, while the subject-position of the traffic manager is perpetually warding off the

accident. (efore and after the accident the movement of )odies ta'es

place in an attempt to govern the $event$ itself & The accident may be an immutablerupture or interruption: a moment when the body can no longer deterritorialize itself through the micropolitics of highwayidentities. The human body and institutional bodies are thrust together through the everyday trauma surrounding road

accidents and highway fatalities. receding a given accident, which is inevitable but randomly occurring an entireassem)lage exists to govern safet! and securit! on the road*ever!thing from license re+uirements (often a critical passage into maturity or adulthood!to vehicle innovations such as shoulder*)elts or non*re,ective-indshields& Through the expansion of high-a!s and theproliferation of the automo)ile death and life in America havemoved precariousl! close to the side of the road . " #$%& The body is already ground-brea'ing in both everyday and revolutionary ways. The body is organic and machinic as it moves from one mode toanother: by operating the speed and acceleration of a motorized vehicle, by strapping to a chair via a seat belt, and by

obeying or brea'ing speed limit laws. n sum, -e should ta'e the )od!.s relation to the

road the vehicle and the accident as crucial sites of modernit!.sconcentrations and movements . ) few concepts related to speeds, rates, and modes ofproduction and transportation will help to lin' together the highway machine in many ways. )ppropriate for the study ofspeed, *irilio begins his + article on the accident with an instein reference: / vents do not come, they are here/(*irilio, + !. " #$0& 1rom instein, *irilio sprints through a chain reaction of the last 02 years of history, gesturing to

3iroshima, radioactivity, Three 4ile sland, fusion, and fission to contend: / po-er is no longer afunction of matter element )ut of immaterialit! energeticperformance ./ *irilio plots a cluster of issues in /The rimal )ccident/ that magnify the plane of consistency setup by our previous maps of subjectivity drawn by 5eleuze 6 7uattari. nitially, *irilio reverses the opposition between the

accident and substance. The accident*t!picall! conceived as ,eetingtemporar! relative or contingent*has generall! )een contrasted-ith the a)solute and universal connotations of su)stance & 8oo'ing at the8atin root accidens , *irilio notes how the unanticipated /the surprise# )ecame part of theaccident.s m!tholog! . n other words the surprise failure that )efalls amechanism or product is an accidental destruction& Thedisplacement of responsi)ilit! intrinsic in the use of accident allo-s the)lame and the surprise to focus on the $mechanism that failed$ andnot the operation of the mechanism itself& *irilio9s point is that theassociation of an accident -ith an unexpected misfortune should )e+uestioned& " #$ & )ssuming that failure is not built-in or programmed into the mechanism may be a mista'e.0e cannot separate life and death and -e cannot separate themachine from the accident& 1or *irilio (+ , p$+$!, the accident itself can )e
http://www.rhizomes.net/issue8/kuswa.htmhttp://www.rhizomes.net/issue8/kuswa.htmhttp://www.rhizomes.net/issue8/kuswa.htmhttp://www.rhizomes.net/issue8/kuswa.htm


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attached to $the product from the moment of its production orimplementation&$ roduction interpellates destruction. The mode of production cannot stand without themode of destruction. The high-a! machine ma! generate tra"c and thepossi)ilit! of managing that tra"c )ut such production )ringsdestruction : the decimation of the earth9s ecology through rapid fossil fuel consumption as well as the demolitionof vehicles and desolation of human bodies that arrive in an endless stream of road fatalities. 4oving the modern away

from structure and more toward vectors and trajectories, *irilio (+ , p$+$! inverts the substance of accidents:"

ince the production of an! .su)stance. is simultaneousl! theproduction of a t!pical accident )rea'do-n or failure is less thederegulation of production than the production of a speci c failure oreven a partial or total destruction....;ne could imagine a fundamental modification in the direction of research toward aprospective of the accident.


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histor , culminating in -hat Virilio calls $pure -ar #/ In Virilio1s view, the s stem of"eterren e in the ol" Har nu lear stalemate reate" a situation in whi h te hnologi al "evelopment

hannels te hnolog into militar forms an" te hno rati politi al "omination# In this situation, /Heaponsan" armor onstantl nee" to %e strengthene"# Te hnologi al "evelopment thus lea" to e onomi"epletion# The war-ma hine ten"s towar" so ietal non-"evelopment/ Virilio an" otringer [email protected]> E3# Hithmore an" more resour es going to the militar an" militar imperatives "ominating pro"u tion,government, an" the evolution of s ien e an" te hnolog , so ietal "evelopment is un"ermine" an" so ial

un"er"evelopment %e omes a "e)ning mar( of the ontemporar worl"# In a""ition, for Virilio theacceleration of events technological development and speed in the

current era designates $a dou)le movement of implosion andexplosion ,/ so that / the ne- -ar machine com)ines a dou)ledisappearance5 the disappearance of matter in nucleardisintegration and the disappearance of places in vehicularextermination$ Virilio 9@A> .43# The in rease" spee" of "estru tion in militar te hnolog ismoving towar" the spee" of light with laser weapons an" omputer- ontrolle" weapons s stems

onstituting a novelt in warfare in whi h there are no longer geo-strategi strongpoints sin e from angiven spot we an now rea h an other, pro"u ing what Virilio alls /a strateg of Lrownian movementthrough geostrategi homogeniDation of the glo%e/ Virilio 9@A> .E3# Thus, / strategic spatialminiaturi:ation is no- the order of the da! $ -ith microtechnologiestransforming production and communication shrin'ing the planet

and preparing the -a! for what Virilio alls / pure -ar $ a situation in whi h militarte hnologies an" an a ompan ing te hno rati s stem ome to ontrol ever aspe t of life

# Information Control

6odes of transportation control transmission ofinformation discourse and communicationVirilio, aul? 8egener, *i hael Translate" % 3# Cegative BoriDon > =n Jssa in8romos op #

on"on, ontinuum International u%lishing, 200A# p A4#http>MMsite#e%rar # omMli%MnorthwesternM8o Gi"N 02@E0E2OppgN A4

op right P 200A# ontinuum International u%lishing# =ll rights reserve"#

Hith the in reasing in ation of the new means of remote ommuni ation an" transmission, we witness aspe ta ular reversal 5 automo)ile information comes to dominate theattraction of autonomous transportation -ithout actuall! doinga-a! -ith it& et me %e lear, however, that it is a matter here of a mo"e of information spe i) tothe in"i ate" means of transportation that (new neither how to repeat nor totall repro"u e that of othermass me"ia# In"ee", there are t-o sorts of .means of mass communication. >au"iovisual /press radio TV computer telephone && and automo)ile themeans of terrestrial, air, an" maritime transportation an" movement###3 Bach of these conve!s QvWhi uleU what amounts to a spe i) informational ontent, a t!pe of information lin'edto its o-n nature # Ve tor of transmission or vehi le of transportation %oth possessthe propert! of modif!ing the intrinsic content of the .messages. >transmitte" messages ra"io, TV, telephone ###3 or the transmission of the trip train, ar,plane ###3# The ourse travelling# is a discourse message3, since it is al-a!s a+uestio n, in %oth ases, of conve!ing sense QsensU, in the one "ire tion QsensU 7 going3 asin the other returning3# 8is ourse- ourse, fee"%a ( of the traXe tor , the histor! ofaudiovisual and automo)ile mediation )rings us )ac' to thepro)lematic of direct vs& indirect information& All technologicalinnovation involving vectors or vehicles must therefore return tothis .informational logic. in other -ords to the logic of sense

o%Xe tMsu%Xe t QohXetMsuXeftU Xust as to the logisti s of sense traXe tor QtraXe)3 S as is espe iall true inthe sphere of ele troni s# et us not forget that each thing o%Xe tMsu%Xe t3is


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simultaneousl! space time matter a formation of sense andinformation from the milieu and more precisel! in connection -ithtime essential in the example of the round*trip automo%ile3 or of fee"%a (

au"iovisual3, relativit tea hes us that time is ontra te" in matter an" that a violent movement in reasesmatters "ensit while eFpan"ing time# Jven if this ph si al propert is onl spe ta ularl veri)e" in theeFtreme violen e of the high velo ities attaine" % aerial an" spa e vehi les, it is not, however, useless tonote that the message informational content# is not eFa tl the message vehi le3 %ut theve tor, that is to sa , the movement of movement the speed of the meansof transmission communicationD& $inall , whether we onsi"er the a eleration of thetelemati transmission of "ata millise on", %it-se on"3 or of the supersoni transport of people (mMh orma h3 matters little, sin e, as we have seen earlier, spee" is the message, the last message of movement?it ma(es sense to anal se the inemati nature of transmitte" information, an" this no matter what sort ofvehi ular performan e su%soni or supersoni 3 of ma hines or instruments of transmission au"iovisual orautomo%ile3 ma %e involve"# Jven if the most spe ta ular e+e ts of the real are now reserve" forsophisti ate" instruments, it ontinues to %e the ase nonetheless that each vehicle possessesthe vectorial propert! to transmute through its speed the o)7ectiverealit! of the course as much as the informational content even themeaning of discourse&

E# 4erfection

The A"rmative;s vision of transportation postulates aperfect technological s!stem* it conceals the true natureof accidentsKellner @ Y rofessor, 5ome riti al:e e tions!, Illuminations> The riti al Theor He%site, http>MMinterme"ios#geogra)as#orgMwp-

ontentMuploa"sM200@M09Mvirilioilluminations(ellner#p"f

Virilio laims that ever te hnolog involves its a ompan ing a i"ent> with the invention of the ship,ou get the ship wre (? the plane %rings on plane rashes? the automo%ile, ar a i"ents, an" so on# $or

Virilio, the technocratic vision is thus one*sided and ,a-ed in that itpostulates a perfectF technological s!stem a seamless c!)erneticrealm of instrumentalit! and control in -hich allF processes aredetermined )! and follo- technological la-s Lau"rillar" also, to some eFtent, repro"u es this %erneti an" te hnologi al imaginar in his writings? see Kellner 9@9%3# In therealF -orld , however, accidents are part and parcel of technologicals!stems the! expose its limitations F the! su)vert idealistic visionsof technolog!& Accidents are conse+uentl! , in Virilios view, an integralFpart of all modes of transportation , in"ustrial pro"u tion, war an" militar organiDation,an" other te hnologi al s stems# Be suggests that in s ien e a Ball of = i"ents shoul" %e put neFt toea h Ball of *a hines> Jver technolog! ever! science should choose itsspeci c accident and reveal it as aF product**not in a moralistic

protectionist -a! /safet! rst# )ut rather as a product to )e at the en" of the twentieth entur , I thin( we must grant the formative "imensionsof the a i"ent its rightful pla e in a new museum! Virilio an" otringer [email protected]#QE
http://intermedios.geografias.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/virilioilluminationskellner.pdfhttp://intermedios.geografias.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/virilioilluminationskellner.pdfhttp://intermedios.geografias.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/virilioilluminationskellner.pdfhttp://intermedios.geografias.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/virilioilluminationskellner.pdf


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The Bconom!

Instantaneous communications technolog! is reshapingthe economic 2andscapeG 6ore po-erful economies spin a

-e) that increases reliance and use of instantglo)ali:ationCor"haus 2( Hilliam, 5terling rofessor of J onomi s at Zale &niversit , Te hnolog , J onomi


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Trade

Trade Accelerates the peed of Technolog!competitiveness drives up e"cienc!

Cational = a"em of Jngineering @@ The Cational = a"em of Jngineering C=J3 isa private, in"epen"ent, nonpro)t institution that provi"es engineering lea"ership in servi e to the nation, International erspe tives,! 9@@, http>MMwww#nap#e"uMopen%oo(#phpGre or"\i"N 0 OpageN 3T3B B99BCT ?9 TBC3N?2?JICA2 C3ANJB on the glo)al economicstructure are creating immense transformations in the -a!companies and nations organi:e production trade goods investcapital and develop ne- products and processes # 5ophisti ate"information technologies permit instantaneous communicationamong the far*,ung operations of glo)al enterprises& Cew materials arerevolutioniDing se tors as "iverse as onstru tion an" ommuni ations# Advancedmanufacturing technologies have altered long*standing patterns ofproductivit! and emplo!ment& Improved air and sea transportationhas greatl! accelerated the -orld-ide ,o- of people and goods # =llthis has )oth created and mandated greater interdependence among

rms and nations& The rapid rate of innovation and the d!namics oftechnolog! ,o-s mean that comparative advantage is short*lived # TomaFimiDe returns, arrangements su h as transnational mergers an" share" pro"u tion agreements aresought to %ring together partners with omplementar interests an" strengths# This permits %oth"evelope" an" "eveloping ountries to harness te hnolog more e ientl , with the eFpe tation of

reating higher stan"ar"s of living for all involve"# >apid technological innovation andthe proliferation of transnational organi:ations are driving theformation of a glo)al econom! that sometimes con,icts -ithnationalistic concerns a)out maintaining comparative advantage andcompetitiveness # It is in"ee" a time of transition for )rms an" governments ali(e# This %oo(provi"es a %roa" overview of these issues an" see(s to she" light on su h areas as the hanging nature of

international ompetition, in uen es of new te hnologies on international tra"e, an" e onomi an" so ialon erns arising from "i+eren es in national ultures an" stan"ar"s of living asso iate" with a"option an"use of new te hnologies#


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3ardpo-er

Increasing the 4o-er of peed is necessar! for an!attempt at advancing the technolog! of -arfare doing so

causes spaces to )e collapsed in on themselves ta'inga-a! the dela!ed feed)ac' necessar! to prevent 4ure 0ar

Virilio et al ; 1 Q aul Virilio is a ultural theorist an" ur%anist, 5 lv]re otringer is a literarriti an" ultural theorist, Translate" % *i hael Taormina, =fter =r hite ture> = onversation!,


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Impacts

Increased Interconnectivit! results in a glo)al accident the scope of -hich has never )een seenVirilio an" 8er 8erian 7A - aul Virilio is rofessor of hilosoph at the Juropean .43# The in rease" spee" of "estru tion in militar te hnolog ismoving towar" the spee" of light with laser weapons an" omputer- ontrolle" weapons s stems

onstituting a novelt in warfare in whi h there are no longer geo-strategi strongpoints sin e from angiven spot we an now rea h an other, pro"u ing what Virilio alls a strateg of Lrownian movementthrough geostrategi homogeniDation of the glo%e! Virilio 9@A> .E3# Thus, strategic spatialminiaturi:ation is no- the order of the da! -ith microtechnologiestransforming production and communication shrin'ing the planetand preparing the wa for what Virilio alls pure -ar a situation in -hichmilitar! technologies and an accompan!ing technocratic s!stem
http://www.watsoninstitute.org/infopeace/vy2k/futurewar.cfmhttp://www.watsoninstitute.org/infopeace/vy2k/futurewar.cfmhttp://intermedios.geografias.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/virilioilluminationskellner.pdfhttp://intermedios.geografias.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/virilioilluminationskellner.pdfhttp://www.watsoninstitute.org/infopeace/vy2k/futurewar.cfmhttp://intermedios.geografias.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/virilioilluminationskellner.pdfhttp://intermedios.geografias.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/virilioilluminationskellner.pdf


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come to control ever! aspect of life # In Virilios view, the -ar machine isthe demiurge of technological development and an ultimate threatto humanit! producing a state of emergenc! in -hich nuclearholocaust threatens the ver! survival of the human species& Thisinvolves a shift from a geo-politi s! to a hrono-politi s,! from a politi s of spa e to a politi s of time, inwhi h whoever ontrols the means of instant information, ommuni ation, an" "estru tion is a "ominant

so io-politi al for e# $or Virilio, ever! technological s!stem contains its speci cfor of accident and a nuclear accident -ould of course )ecatastrophic& 3ence in the contemporar! nuclear era in -hich-eapons of mass destruction could create an instant -orldholocaust -e are thrust into a permanent state of emergenc! thatena%les the nu lear state to impose its imperatives on ever more "omains of politi al an" so ial life# 4olitics too succum)s to the logic of speed and potential holocaustas increased speed in militar! violence instantaneous informationand communication and the ,o- of events diminishes the time andspace of "eli%eration, "is ussion and the )uilding of consensus that is the-or' of politics& peed and -ar thus undermine politics -ithtechnolog! replacing democratic participation and the complexit!and rapidit! of historical events rendering human understanding andcontrol ever more pro)lematical # &%i'uitous an" instantaneous me"ia ommuni ation inturn ma(es spin- ontrol an" me"ia manipulation "if) ult, %ut essential, to politi al governan e# *oreover,the nee" for fast spin ontrol an" e+e tive me"ia politi s further "iminishes the spa e an" role of"emo rati politi al parti ipation an" intera tion#

4ure -ar ends in 0orld 3olocust the ultimate threat to3umanit!5 (es, 2009 Y gra"uate stu"ent at the universit of north teFas 6ason, aul Virilios riti'ue of spee",te hnolog , an" institutions!, p"f availa%le online3

Throughout the progression of thought and philosophy, many have theorized about explanations regarding what drives humans and their institutions.

While many may argue that money is the root of all evil, Virilio )elieves that the histor! of the stateand other institutions can )e descri)ed through their relationshipsto speed movement and -arfare . The presence of the nuclear )om)and the consumption of securit! constitute us as militar!proletarians : The code of production itself al-a!s aims at the


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and social life , disciplining and regulating populations to submit to the authority and dictates of the s tate and military. (Kellner, 1999, pg.107)


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Alt& olvenc!The alternative is to recogni:e the accident as an intrinsicelement of production& ?nl! )! rst inventing theaccident is it possi)le to avoid accidental catastrophe&Kuswa, 2004 (Kevin, P.h. D. in Rhetoric from UT, Department of Rhetoric and Communication Studies at Richmond,Machinic Rhetoric, Hi h!a"s and #nterpe$$atin Motions%, http&''!!!.rhi omes.net'issue)'*us!a.htm+

Assuming that failure is not )uilt*in or programmed into themechanism ma! )e a mista'e& 0e cannot separate life and deathand -e cannot separate the machine from the accident # $or Virilio 99.,p2 2 # the accident itself can )e attached to $the product from themoment of its production or implementation& / ro"u tion interpellates"estru tion# The mo"e of pro"u tion annot stan" without the mo"e of "estru tion# The high-a!machine ma! generate tra"c and the possi)ilit! of managing thattra"c )ut such production )rings destruction5 the "e imation of the earth1se olog through rapi" fossil fuel onsumption as well as the "emolition of vehi les an" "esolation ofhuman %o"ies that arrive in an en"less stream of roa" fatalities# 6oving the modern a-a!from structure and more to-ard vectors and tra7ectories , Virilio 99.,p2 23 inverts the su)stance of accidents 5 ince the production of an!.su)stance. is simultaneousl! the production of a t!pical accident)rea'do-n or failure is less the deregulation of production than theproduction of a speci c failure or even a partial or total "estru tion#### ne oul" imaginea fun"amental mo"i) ation in the "ire tion of resear h towar" a prospe tive of the a i"ent# 5i nce theaccident is invented at the moment the o)7ect is scienti call!discovered or technicall! developed , perhaps -e could reverse thingsand directl! invent the accident in order to determine the nature ofthe reno-ned .su)stance. of the implicitl! discovered product ormechanism , there)! av oiding the development of certain supposedl!accidental catastrophes &

Critical @iscourse and >ecognition of the negative e=ects oftechnolog! allo-s us to )rea' free of its controlKellner 99 chair of the Phi$osoph" of -ducation in the raduate Schoo$ of -ducation and #nformation Studies at the Universit"of Ca$ifornia at /os 0n e$es, critica$ theorist for the 1ran*furt #nstitute for Socia$ Research. (Dou $as, 2iri$io, 3ar and Techno$o ".%

4555 . http&''!!!.uta.edu'huma'i$$uminations'*e$$65.htm

Thus, Virilio "es ri%es the e+e ts of new te hnologies in terms of an eFplosion of information as lethal as nu lear eFplosion an" -arns of the u)i+uit! of ne- t!pes of accidentthat -ill re+uire ne- modes of deterrence and dissuasion #3e alsoenvisages progressive dereali:ation and demateriali:ation ofhuman )eings in the realm of virtual realit! -hich ma! come to ruleever! realm of life from -ar to sex # $rom this perspe tive, te hnolog emerges asthe maXor pro%lem an" threat of the ontemporar era, as a "emoni for e that threatens to erase thehuman# *u h as his pre"e essors, 3eidegger an" Jllul, Virilio warns of the totalitarian threat inte hnolog an" calls for a critical discourse on technolog! recognition
http://www.uta.edu/huma/illuminations/kell29.htmhttp://www.uta.edu/huma/illuminations/kell29.htm


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of its possi)le negative e=ects and regulation of technological development su)7ecting technolog! to human and political control&


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No 4erm* 3ardpo-er:ea" this in onXun tion with the erm answers

6ilitar! upremac! is no- decided )! -ho has the fastest

technolog!G increasing capa)ilities no- involvesmaximi:ing speed in -arfare* this minimi:es the chance of reaction

6anus Bea" 2 6anus Bea" is a 6ournal of inter"is iplinar stu"ies inliterature, 8esert 5 reen> Har at the 5pee" of ight! 2002,http>MMwww#Xanushea"#orgMA-2MVirilioreview#p"f3In this %oo(, 4aul Virilio is )oth prophetic and visionar!& 3e identi esthe gulf -ar as the epoch of a ne- paradigm for -arfare& 9rom theFindustrial to the informational a paradigm shift has ta'en place&

That a few antagonists arme" with %oF- utters oul" have initiate" theHorl" Tra"e enter %om%ing is in"i ative of the terrorist "imension, whi h although peripheral to Virilios totaliDing vision, is nevertheless part of thee'uation# This is some-hat in contradiction to his assertion of theFimportance of speed in -arfare& The ver! long period of supremac!ofF defense over o=ence & & & Is superseded toda! )! the era of thesupremac!F of the a)solute speed of -eapons of interdiction on the

eld of )attleF over the movement of the relative speeds ofmechani:ed forces& p# 23 Virilios assertion of the pre"ominan e of thelogisti al era over the strategi has %een somewhat ontra"i te" % thesu%se'uent am%iguities that have resulte" from re onstru tion era Ira'#


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A85 4erm

0hen the o)7ect of a pro7ect is to increase its speed theattempt to go faster al-a!s comes rst* ma'es criticalreevaluation impossi)leLal"win 2 5an" , =ssistant rofessor of Jnglish an" oor"inator of the enter for iterar

omputing at Hest Virginia &niversit # n 5pee" an" J stas > aul Virilio1s /=estheti s of 8isappearan e/an" the :hetori of *e"ia! op right 2002,http>MMmuse#Xhu#e"u#turing#li%rar #northwestern#e"uMXournalsM on)gurationsMv0 0M 0# %al"win#html^auth%io3ImmortaliDe" % the Lea h Lo s as /The


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)! the speed of real time # 5to ( mar(et 'uotes an" nu lear "eterren e follow the same logi >insistent, instant omputer-supplie" information for ing the user1s a tion# 4

Thus the perm destro!s perception of realit! creating a

virtual -orld that )ecomes increasingl! deliriousLal"win 2 5an" , =ssistant rofessor of Jnglish an" oor"inator of the enter for iteraromputing at Hest Virginia &niversit # n 5pee" an" J stas > aul Virilio1s /=estheti s of 8isappearan e/

an" the :hetori of *e"ia! op right 2002,http>MMmuse#Xhu#e"u#turing#li%rar #northwestern#e"uMXournalsM on)gurationsMv0 0M 0# %al"win#html^auth%io3

Virilio promptl generaliDes the on"ition to a /mass phenomenon,/ arguing that to /the 'uestion> who ispi nolepti G/ the response an onl %e> /who isn1t, or hasn1t %eenG/ He are all pi nolepti s an" our

ons iousness is /a state of para"oFi al wa(ing,/ lea"ing Virilio to later "es ri%e the para"oFi al logi ofreal time an" the para"oFi al presen e of ontemporar eFisten e =8 E3# 4E This unresolve" para"oF in

ons iousness is the ru ial point in Virilio1s argument# Hhat interests him is the teleolog or /ten"en /emitte" % the para"oF# Hhile there are no /apparent %rea(s/ in ons ious time, the a%sen e is manifeste"nonetheless through the ver QJn" age 4 U narrativit of ons iousness, in /a ten"en to pat h upse'uen es, rea"Xusting their ontours to ma(e e'uivalents out of what the pi nolepti has seen an" what

he has not %een a%le to see, what he remem%ers an" what, evi"entl , he annot remem%er an" that it isne essar to invent, to re reate, in or"er to len" verisimilitu"e to his "is ursus/ =8 03# The "is ursivit ornarrativit of per eption on eals a aesura alwa s )lle" % the rea"a%ilit of /pat he"-up/ an"/rea"Xuste"/ se'uen es# As Virilio notes the 2atin et!molog! of $discourse$means $to run here and there a term that ver! -ell conve!s theimpression of haste and distur)ance or normal mental operations inthe pi nolepti / =8 .- 4 n# 23# @iscursive consciousness speeds to overta'eand occup! -hat it cannot& That the mental operations of thepicnoleptic are normall! hast! and distur)ed foregrounds theunderl!ing crux& Conscious perception is a ction an inventioncompensating for the state of paradoxical -a'ing& Thiscompensation is dou)led themati:ed as speed& The discourse onspeed is the re,exive result of picnoleptic a)sence , an" the "is ursivit ofappearan e a "an e of signs "istorte" from without# peed unglues realit! =8 A3# In fa t, the/aestheti s of "isappearan e/ has a histor an" teleolog as /the Hest1s uni'ue an" irresisti%le proXe t an"proXe tion towar" a te hni al %e on"/ =8 9.3# The e"cac! of speed accumulatesdisappearance in an increasingl! delirious experience of the -orldan increasing loss of realit!&


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A8 Not 6ilitar!An!thing that increases the speed of deliver! -illinevita)le )ecome dual*use technolog! to help spur the0ar 6achine5 (es, 2009 Y gra"uate stu"ent at the universit of north teFas 6ason, aul Virilios riti'ue of spee",te hnolog , an" institutions!, p"f availa%le online3

Technolog! and its a)ilit! to lead to the a)straction of realit! fromhuman experience are seen in other forms& Hhile we onsi"er technolog! su h as the internet, we% ams, the "igitaliDation of (nowle"ge, an" omputers themselves, Virilio informsus that ea h of these provides us a view of the outsi"e! worl" Y in"ee" a -indo- toglo)ali:ation Virilio, 2000, pg# A3# The pro%lem is not entirel ontaine" within these te hnologies,our in"ivi"ualiDe" per eptions of spatial relationships aroun" the worl", or even our in"ivi"ual free"om#Virilio sees all technolog! as dual*use exchanged )et-eenmilitar! and civilian communities if those "istin tions eFist3 in an e+ort to spee" the

"eliver of -eapon s!stems& The presence of the nuclear -eaponalread! perpetuates a permanent state of -ar& All technolog! issuscepti)le to militar! class5 The war-ma hine is not onl eFplosives, its also

ommuni ations, ve toriDation# Its essentiall the spee" of "eliver #


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A8 Inevita)leThe accident is reinvented -ith each ne- instance oftransportationVirilio A , aul, ostmo"ernist, former professor, an" the overall man?8egener, *i hael Translate" % 3# Cegative BoriDon > =n Jssa in8romos op #!

on"on, ontinuum International u%lishing, 200A# p .@#http>MMsite#e%rar # omMli%MnorthwesternM8o Gi"N 02@E0E2OppgN .@

op right P 200A# ontinuum International u%lishing# =ll rights reserve"#3

In this sense, each ne- means of communication -ould appear a )it li'e a1travel Xournal1, a ne- novel of spatial extension and temporal duration or more eFa tl a nal state of advancement of the -orld to-ard its loss& Bere, each vehicle considered -ould )e an incident along the -a! inthe manner of an accident of the transfer opposed to the su)stanceof the -orld in a given moment of its histor! , where each of the meansof movement -ould )e simultaneousl! perceived not onl! as .ameans of transport and transmission. )ut also as a means ofproducing special e=ects in the spa e-time of the passage, the movement of the transiento%Xe ts an" %o"ies %ut also of lan"s apes, a deportation of distances -here -emust recogni:e that the high*speed vehicle produces the accide nt

visual teles oping or the 1teles oping1 of ollision3 at the same time as it triggers the movement#


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A=


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political landscape and that )ioethics is increasingl! a political notmerel! academic exercise&

Virilio denies progressive politics through his fear oftechnological developmentB&MMwww# hangesurfer# omM= a"M8emo rati Transhumanism#htm3

u""ism is a politi al "ea"-en" for progressive politi s# rogressives must revive the te hno-optimisttra"ition if the want to a hieve the goals of furthering li%ert , e'ualit an" soli"arit # $irst left2uddism inappropriatel! e+uates technologies -ith the po-errelations around those technologies& Technologies do not determinepo-er relations the! merel! create ne- terrains for organi:ing andstruggle& 6ost ne- technologies open up ne- possi)ilities for )othexpanded li)ert! and e+ualit! Xust as the open new opportunities for oppression an"eFploitation# ince the technologies -ill most li'el! not )e stoppeddemocrats need to engage -ith them articulate policies thatmaximi:e social )ene ts from the technologies and nd li)erator!uses for the technologies # If %iote hnolog is to %e reXe te" simpl %e ause it is a pro"u t of

apitalism, a"opte" in lass so iet , then ever te hnolog must %e reXe te"# The mission of the2eft is to assert democratic control and priorities over thedevelopment and implementation of technolog!& Lut esta%lishing "emo rati

ontrol over te hnologi al innovation is not the same as u""ism# In fa t, to the eFtent that a"vo ates forthe "emo rati ontrol of te hnolog "o not guarantee %ene)ts from te hnolog , an" attempt to suppresste hnolog altogether, the will lose pu%li support# 5e on", technolog! can help ustranscend some of the fundamental causes of ine+ualities of po-er& =lthough we will never eliminate ine'ualities of intelligen e an" (nowle"ge, the da! is not faro= -hen all humans can )e guaranteed su"cient intelligence tofunction as active citi:ens # ne of the most important progressive "eman"s will %e to ensure

universal a ess to geneti hoi e te hnologies whi h permit parents to guarantee their hil"ren %iologi alapa ities e'ual to those of other hil"ren# Te hnologi all assiste" %irth, eventuall involving arti) ialwom%s, will free women from %eing ne essar , vulnera%le vessels for the neFt generation# *orphologi alfree"om, the a%ilit to hange ones %o" , in lu"ing ones a%ilities, weight, gen"er an" ra ial

hara teristi s, will re"u e %o" -%ase" oppressions "isa%ilit , fat, gen"er an" ra e3 to aesthetipreXu"i es# Thir", 2eft 2uddism is )oring and depressingG it has no energ!to inspire movements to create a ne- and )etter societ!& The 2eft-as )uilt )! people inspired )! millenial visions not )! people -hosa- a hopeless future of futile existential protest # *ost people "o not want tolive in a future without tele ommuni ations, la%or-saving "evi es, air travel an" me"i ine# The CeFt eftnee"s to re"is over its utopian imagination if it is to renew itself, re onne t with the popular imagination,an" remain relevant# The CeFt eft nee"s visionar proXe ts worth of a unite" transhuman worl", su h asguaranteeing health an" longevit for all, eliminating wor(, an" oloniDing the 5olar 5 stem#

Ose of technolog! to com)at the in7ustices of nature is'e! to distance the human race from its o-n )rutalit!:=*=C 2009 Vara"araXa, La helor1s an" *aster1s "egrees in h si s an"*athemati s from the &niversit of al utta %efore "oing his "o toral wor(on the foun"ations of 'uantum me hani s at the &niversit of aris


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http>MMwww#metaneFus#netM*agaDineM=rti le8etailMta%i"MA@Mi"M 0A7@M8efault#aspF

Transhumanists ounter that nature;s gifts are sometimes poisoned and shouldnot al-a!s )e accepted& Cancer malaria dementia agingstarvation unnecessar! su=ering cognitive shortcomings are allamong the presents that -e -isel! refuse& ?ur o-n species*speci ednatures are a rich source of much of the thoroughl! unrespecta)leand unaccepta)le suscepti)ilit! for disease murder rapegenocide cheating torture racism # The horrors of nature in general an" of our ownnature in parti ular are so well "o umente" that it is astonishing that some%o" as "istinguishe" as eonKass shoul" still in this "a an" age %e tempte" to rel on the natural as a gui"e to what is "esira%le ornormativel right# 0e should )e grateful that our ancestors -ere not s-epta-a! )! the Kassian sentiment or -e -ould still )e pic'ing lice o=each other;s )ac's& :ather than "eferring to the natural or"er, transhumanists maintain that-e can legitimatel! reform ourselves and our natures in accordance-ith humane values and personal aspirations&

Virilio ignores the possi)ilit! of progressive technopoliticsKellner, 200. Y riti al theorist in the $ran(furt Institute for 5o ial :esear h, 5ome riti al :e e tions!,illuminations> the riti al theor proXe t,http>MMpages#gseis#u la#e"uMfa ult M(ellnerMIllumina[20$ol"erM(ell29#htm

L es hewing riti al so ial theor , Virilio does not have the resources totheori:e the complex relations )et-een capital technolog! the

state and militar! in the present age su)stituting a highl! elusiveand evocative method for s!stematic theoretical anal!sis andcriti+ue #Virilio himself ac'no-ledges his elusive and suggestiveapproach to -riting , noting> /I "on1t %elieve in eFplanations# I %elieve insuggestions, in the o%vious 'ualit of the impli it# Leing an ur%anist an"ar hite t, I am too use" to onstru ting lear s stems, ma hines that wor(well# I "on1t %elieve it1s writing1s Xo% to "o the same thing# I "on1t li(e two-an"-two-is-four-t pe writing# That1s wh , )nall , I respe t $ou ault more than Ili(e him/ Virilio an" otringer 9@.> [email protected]# In"ee", Virilio1s st le is eFtremelteles opi , leaping from topi to topi with ala rit , XuFtaposing "efuseelements an" themes, proliferating images, 'uotes, an" i"eas whi h rapi"lfollow ea h other, often overwhelming the rea"er an" ma(ing it "i ult tograsp the thrust of Virilio1s argument# ne oul" argue, in fa t, that thespeed -hich Virilio so -ell theori:es enters into the ver! fa)ric andsu)stance of his -ritings& Virilio.s texts move along +uic'l! the!catch their topics on the run the! over-helm -ith detail )ut rarel!develop a topic in s!stematic and sustained fashion # Bis st le thusre e ts his themes with spee", fragmentation, an" ompleFit the warp an"-oof of his -or'& ?ne -onders ho-ever -hether a critic of speed-ar and technolog! should not occasionall! slo- do-n and morecarefull! and patientl! delineate his theoretical position # To some


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eFtent, Virilio eFempli)es Halter LenXamin1s theor of illuminations an"fragments, that onstellations of i"eas an" images oul" illuminate spe i)phenomena an" events# i(e LenXamin, Virilio ir les his pre with images,'uotes, often startling an" original i"eas, an" then 'ui (l moves on to hisneFt topi # Virilio %elieves in the virtue of %rea(s an" interruptions, of gapsan" a%sen es, es hewing s stemati theoriDing# Lut although Virilio pursuessome of the same themes as LenXamin, "eplo s a similar metho", an" iteshim fre'uentl , there are maXor "i+eren es# Hhereas LenXamin 9A93, in thespirit of Lre ht, wante" to /refun tion/ new te hnologies to ma(e theminstruments of progressive so ial hange an" "evelope" politi al strategies toeFploit the potentiall progressive features of new te hnologies Virilio isrelentless critical esche-s developing a technopolitics andno-here spea's of using or refunctioning technolog! to servepositive ends # Thus Virilio is highl! one*sided and does not developa dialectical conception of technolog! or a progressivetechnopolitics& 5o far, Virilio has pro"u e" no master oeuvre that will pulltogether his i"eas an" perspe tives, that will provi"e a s ntheti overview#Bis long interviews with 5 lvere otringer [email protected] an" 6ohn =rmitrage in thisissue3 ontain the %est overview of what I ta(e to %e his most valua%le wor(,%ut it remains to %e seen whether he will attempt to "evelop a riti al theorof te hnolog for the present age# In a""ition, as a critical philosopherVirilio is +uite ascetic never articulating his normative position from-hich he carries on such a sustained and ferocious criti+ue oftechnolog! #3e seems to assume something li'e a religioushumanism that human )eings are signi cant )! virtue of theircapacit! for speech reason moralit! political deli)eration andparticipation and creative activit! -hile technolog! is seen asundermining these human capacities , ta(ing over human fun tions an"ren"ering humans su%servient to te hnologi al rationalit # Lut Viriliohimself does not ade+uatel! articulate the humanist or religiousdimension of his criti+ue an", as note", "es ri%es himself as a materialistan" a%stains from "eveloping the normative perspe tive from whi h he

arries out his riti'ue#

Virilio;s on*face re7ection of technological advancementundermines the potential constructive po-er it could haveKellner, 200. Y riti al theorist in the $ran(furt Institute for 5o ial :esear h, 5ome riti al :e e tions!,illuminations> the riti al theor proXe t,http>MMpages#gseis#u la#e"uMfa ult M(ellnerMIllumina[20$ol"erM(ell29#htm

et Virilio has never reall! theori:ed technolog! per se and uses thesame model and categories to anal!:e -ar technolog! tocharacteri:e ne- information technolog! # Thus, he has not reall!unravelled the riddle of technolog! -hich -ould have to interrogateits fascination po-er and complexit! and not 7ust its negativit! #Virilio critici:es the discourses of technophilia that -ould cele)rate


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technolog! as salvation that are totall! positive -ithout criticalreservations )ut he himself is e+uall! one*sided , developing a highl!technopho)ic and negative discourse that fails to articulate an!positive aspects or uses for ne- technologies , laiming that negative an" riti al"is ourses li(e his own are ne essar to ounter the overl optimisti an" positive "is ourses# In a sense,this is true an" Xusti)es Virilio1s pre"ominantl te hnopho%i "is ourse, %ut raises +uestions

concerning the ade+uac! of Virilio.s perspectives on technolog! as a-hole an" the eFtent to whi h his wor( is of use in theoriDing the new te hnologies with theirmomentous an" "ramati transformation of ever aspe t of our so ial an" ever "a life


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Tech Jood* Onderstanding

>efusing to em)race technolog! impedes ourunderstanding of the -orld

*urphie 2( =n"rew, $ormer hief Investigator with 8r =nna *unster3 on an =ustralian :esear houn il 8is over roXe t> 8 nami *e"ia> innovative so ial an" artisti "evelopments in new me"ia in=ustralia, Lritain, ana"a an" 5 an"inavia sin e 990# Be was o-organiDer of the e- erforman e an" lug-Ins> = *e"iatise" erforman e onferen e, /The 8us( of the 8igital is the 8awn of the Virtual! 2000,http>MMen ulturation#gmu#e"uM.\ Mmurphie#html3

erhaps it is %e ause we are onl Xust, with artists su h as 5telar , %eginning to un"erstan" the virtual si"eof %o"ies, the wa in whi h %o"ies are also immerse" in events as the are immerse" in virtualit # Thevirtual side of things is -hat @eleu:e and Juattari also term the.incorporeal. or indeed the .event.& It is that -hich is actualised in)odies )ut -hich still eludes total capture and stasis -ithin them EDso that it can change them , or reate other %o"ies out of them# I woul" also term the virtualthe 1inter orporeal1, as that whi h o urs %etween %o"ies# In short, events refer to %o"ies an" to whathappens %etween them at the virtual level %o"ies here onsi"ere" in the %roa"est possi%le sense3# ?urrefusal to thin' through the realit! of the virtual or resistance to itcan onl! therefore impede our )elief in the -orld # et the refusal ofthe virtual is still underta'en )! surprisingl! man! # Jven % some we thoughtlove" it# Jven an" espe iall those su h as 4aul Virilio QEU an" 6ean Lau"rillar" who seem tolong for a time -hen -e onl! had to thin' a)out )odies and states of a=airs a)out ever!thing that -as visi)le and pure and na'ed**anddare -e sa! meaningful**in its visi)ilit! # 5u h thought li(es to preserve a strangenessfor the virtual an" ma(e it un harte" territor # It is, in su h thin(ing, as if the virtual has "es en"e" "ownupon us from some unimagina%le heaven or hell# It is as if it 1inva"es1 our spa e, an" not as if our spa ehas alwa s %een "eepl immerse" in the virtual# 0e do not -ant to )e part of thesmoothness and ,uidit! of the space in -hich -e exist&


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Virilio is IllogicalVirilio is an illogical technopho)e

Kellner, 200. Y riti al theorist in the $ran(furt Institute for 5o ial :esear h, 5ome riti al :e e tions!,illuminations> the riti al theor proXe t,http>MMpages#gseis#u la#e"uMfa ult M(ellnerMIllumina[20$ol"erM(ell29#htm

hrill! technopho)ic and consistentl! h!sterical Virilio demoni:esmodern information and communication technologies suggestingthat the! are do irrepara)le damage to the human )eing& 5ometimesover-the-top rhetori al, as in the passage Xust ite", Virilio1s 9901s ommentson new information te hnolog suggest that he is "eplo ing the same mo"elan" metho"s to anal De the new te hnologies that he use" for war

te hnolog # 3e spea's regularl! of an $information )om)$ that is setto explode 99Ea, 99E%, 99E , 997a, an" 997%3, evo'ing thespecter of $a cho'ing of the senses a loss of control of reason ofsorts$ in a ,ood of information and attendant disinformation # 8eplo ing his earlier argument on erning te hnolog an" the a i"ent,Virilio argues that the information superhigh-a! is 7ust -aiting for ama7or accident to happen 99Ea an" 99E%? 997a an" 997%3, whi hwill %e a new (in" of glo%al a i"ent, e+e ting the whole glo%e, /thea i"ents of a i"ents/ Jpi urus3> /The sto ( mar(et ollapse is merel aslight pre)guration of it# Co%o" has seen this generaliDe" a i"ent et# Lutthen wat h out as ou hear tal( a%out the 1)nan ial %u%%le1 in the e onom > aver signi) ant metaphor is use" here, an" it onXures up visions of some

(in" of lou", remin"ing us of other lou"s Xust as frightening as those ofherno% l###/ 99E%3# In a 99E interview with


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%om%/ will %e as lethal for the so ius as nu lear %om%s, "estro ing so ialmemor , relations, tra"itions, an" ommunit with an instantaneous overloa"of information# Thus, the te hnologi al /mon(s/ who promote the informationrevolution are guilt of /sins in te hni al fun"amentalism, of whi h wewitness the onse'uen es, the evil e+e ts, to"a #/ ?ne -onders ho-everif the discourse of $sin $ $evil $ and $fundamentalism$ is appropriateto characteri:e the e=ects and uses of ne- technologies -hich arecontrar! to Virilio hotl! and -idel! de)ated hardl! monolithic andin m! vie- highl! am)iguous , miFing what might %e appraise" aspositive an" negative features an" e+e ts#


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A= olves (ac'

Technological advancement aids in ris' reducing solves)ac' the increased ris' of developmentLostrom 2 Ci (, $a ult of hilosoph , Ffor" &niversit , JFistential :is(s> =nal Ding Buman JFtin tion5 enarios an" :elate" BaDar"s,! 2002, http>MMwww#ni (%ostrom# omMeFistentialMris(s#html35ome te hnologies seem to %e espe iall worth promoting %e ause the an help in re"u ing a %roa"range of threats# uperintelligence is one of these# =lthough it has its own "angers eFpoun"e"in pre e"ing se tions3, these are "angers that we will have to fa e at some point no matter what# Lutgetting superintelligen e earl is "esira%le %e ause it -ould help diminish other ris's& Asuperintelligence could advise us on polic!& uperintelligence -ouldma'e the progress curve for nanotechnolog! much steeper thusshortening the period of vulnera)ilit! )et-een the development of"angerous nanorepli ators and the deplo!ment of ade+uate defenses& L ontrast,getting nanote hnolog %efore superintelligen e woul" "o little to "iminish the ris(s of superintelligen e#

The main possi%le eF eption to this is if we thin( that it is important that we get to superintelligen e viauploa"ing rather than through arti) ial intelligen e# Canote hnolog woul" greatl fa ilitate uploa"ingQ.9U# ?ther technologies that have a -ide range of ris'*reducingpotential include intelligence augmentation information technolog!and surveillance& These can ma'e us smarter individuall! andcollectivel! and can ma'e it more feasi)le to enforce necessar!regulation # = strong prima fa ie ase therefore eFists for pursuing these te hnologies as vigorouslas possi%le# Q2 U
http://www.nickbostrom.com/existential/risks.html#_ftn21http://www.nickbostrom.com/existential/risks.html#_ftn21

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Virilio Kritik Juniors NDI 2012