Kūniškos mediacijos: biomedijos šiuolaikinėje kontrolės visuomenėje

The aim of this article is to present, discuss and critically reflect the emerging in media studies notion of biomedia, which refutes the alleged dichotomy between technology and the body. In the broadest sense, biomedia can be construed as a particular way of mediation whereby the media directly affect and transform the biological dimension of the body and vice versa. The article opens with the discussion of the context in which biomedia emerge – the societies of control (G. Deleuze). In the this first part, the genesis of the concept of biomedia is discussed, as well as two conceptual paradigms – epistemological (E. Thacker’s “dark media”) and ethical (M. Fuller, A. Goffey’s “gray media”) are presented. In the second part, the nexus between biomedia and the cyberbiopolitical regime is highlighted, as well as a peculiar form of biopower, functioning through biomedia – neuropower (W. Neidich) is presented. Ultimately, two potential resistance lines (negative and critical) are examined.

Big Data as “Practical Ontology”: The Ontotheology Underlying the Interpretation of Reality as Data

The article discusses the emergence of a “practical ontology” in some of the most triumphalist discourses on Big Data. Such an interpretation can be drawn from the Heideggerian critique of ontotheology, a term he used as an equivalent to Western metaphysics. Following his perspective, the article argues that the reduction of reality to data, as in many Big Data discourses, means putting functionality as the fundamental aspect of beings, hence – the idea of a practical ontology. The Heideggerian critique of ontotheology, however, not only makes the ontological core of Big Data’s practical discourses more transparent but also points out the theoretical limits of that ontology and, furthermore, of most discourses around Big Data. It could be said that eventually Big Data’s practical ontology conceals the very moment of unconcealment of beings as data, undermining a proper comprehension of its object of analysis – the data.

Technikos autonomijos problema Gilbert’o Simondono filosofijoje

In this article, an important part of Simondon’s philosophy of technology (mainly as it is elaborated in On the Mode of Existence of Technical Objects) is presented and situated within a broader context of philosophy of technology and contemporary trends of technological development. The hypothesis suggests that one of the main motives behind such Simondon’s ideas as a reconciliation between culture and technics, the need for mechanology, etc. is to dispel the metaphysical view of autonomous position of technology as uncontrollable destiny in contemporary societies. However, Simondon’s position remains inherently ambivalent here: even though it is culture that should incorporate and govern technology, culture still must accomodate itself to the actual state of technology developed by technicians. A mystifying element in Simondon’s philosophy of technology remains, as the philosopher privileges a technician as being grounded in and having access to the pre-individual state of nature. It is argued that the development of technology should be more democratized and put under rational control of society.

Atsakomybės subjekto steigtis technikos amžiuje: Hansas Jonas ir Bruno Latouras

This article opposes the attempts to marginalize ethical issues and defend the thesis of technosphere as an autonomous phenomenon in the Anthropocene. The author points out that by evading the question of ethical perspective and responsibility, the technological activity and its trace are naturalised, and any ethical decision is therefore turned into a technical decision. The comparison of the positions of two philosophers of technology (Hans Jonas and Bruno Latour) enables us to reflect on how technology mediates the constitution of the subject of responsibility in the tension of global and local perspectives. The article shows that Jonas’ “heuristics of fear” leads to the conscious practice of asceticism and the collective control of technical power, while Latour leaves open a possibility of talking about the shared action of a multitude of hybrid actors, in which both the ethical solution is already “contaminated” with the technical and the technical solution retains the trace of the ethical. By using the example of the reverse vending machine, it is shown how ethical motivation is inscribed into technical media, which uses the technological accumulation to link global and local perspectives for environmental purposes.

Dirbtinis intelektas moterišku kūnu filmuose Ex Machina ir Ji

The article explores how artificial intelligence is constructed in a female body and showcases the boundaries between human and technological traits, as well as the relationship between human beings and technology. The article defines the notion of artificial intelligence and discusses how artificial intelligence is portrayed in science fiction films. The article does not attempt to provide new theoretical insights into artificial intelligence but, instead, to show how artificial intelligence is characterised in the context of modern science fiction films. Two contemporary science fiction films, which focus on the artificial intelligence in the female body, are analysed: Alex Garland’s Ex Machina (2014) and Spike Jonze’s Her (2013). The analysis of the films showcases the blurred lines between being a human and being a robot: AI in the female body is portrayed as having adequate cognitive abilities and an ability to experience or to realistically imitate various mental states. The AI embodiment found in the films explores different narratives: the anthropomorphic body (Ex Machina) motivates to get to know the world and thus expands one’s experience, while the partial embodiment (Her) “programs” intellectual actions and development beyond the human body. Ex Machina highlights the anti-humanity of the female robot: another (human) life is devalued in order to pursue a goal. On the contrary, Her highlights the hyper-humanity of the operating system: continuous improvements exceed the boundaries of communication with other people.

Hanso Jonaso atsakingos politikos vizija technologinėje civilizacijoje

The aim of the article is to reconstruct Hans Jonas’ vision of ethics for the technological civilization and to highlight the challenges that are faced in the attempt to provide an ontological grounding for such ethics. The attempt to develop the ethics of responsibility is inseparable from the affirmation of paternalistic political positions, which leads towards apologetics of total governmental control. In the face of dangers created by modern technology, Jonas argues that attempts to safeguard the existence of humanity are best served by a government that controls all aspects of life. Jonas maintains that in the face of various dangers created by modern technologies, a relationship with them, which is based on fear, becomes pragmatic and rational. A positive evaluation of fear leads towards reactionary political tendencies. Philosopher’s imperative is based on the duty to protect „genuine” human life, however, his vision of total technocratic government could lead to an absolute dehumanization of humanity. It is therefore concluded that Jonas‘ vision of ethics is incompatible with the political ethics of liberal democracy.

Bendroji organologija: tarp organizmo ir mašinos

In this article, I discuss the theory of organology, which examines the interaction between the organism and the machine. The term “organology” was proposed by Georges Canguilhem in his text “Machine and Organism”. Referring to his predecessors, such as Ernst Kapp, Alfred Espinas, and André Leroi-Gourhan, Canguilhem argues that tools and technologies can be understood as an extension of biological organisms. Thus, organology examines the relationships between organisms and machines as well as redefines machines as organs of the human species. In a similar manner, Simondon examines technical objects as belonging to general ontogenesis, which encompasses both living and non-living beings. Later, this idea is significantly elaborated by Bernard Stiegler who creates his own theory of “general organology” and asserts that human life can be maintained only through the invention of tools and the organization of the inorganic. The notion of “general organology” is taken further by Yuk Hui who argues that technical objects are becoming organic in the sense that they incorporate organic properties, such as recursivity and contingency. Thus, not only does “general organology” question the opposition between mechanism and vitalism but also inscribes technical objects into the continuum of living beings.

Mobilusis telefonas, raštas ir atmintis

Even though cultural actions are creative, they are not established ex nihilo. They are based on previous actions, their passive or active memory, and extension. Memory is impossible without forgetting. To remember, we have to choose what matters and what does not. The mechanism of memory is based on forgetfulness, which does not deny memory as such, but in a sense makes it passive. Passive memory (forgetfulness) can be transformed into active memory through the actions of actualization and reactivation. Writing is a form of passive memory that can be activated by intelligent reading. The aim of the article is to discuss the phenomenon of the mobile phone as an example of socio-cultural writing and to raise the question of the relationship between writing and memory. Based on the concepts of writing developed by the Italian philosopher Mauricio Ferraris, Derrida, and Husserl, I argue that writing is a model of cultural sedimentation and memory.

Algoritminė valdysena: implikacijos, priešinimosi strategijos ir santykis su biogalia

In the article, I associate modern algorithmic technologies with biopolitics by proposing a hypothesis that despite several fundamental differences, there are certain similarities between algorithmic control and biopower. In order to prove it, I first thoroughly review Rouvroy and Berns and Stiegler’s concepts of algorithmic control and distinguish strengths and weaknesses of their theories. Further, I briefly draw attention to the impact of algorithmic governmentality on the perception of the categories of the subject, normativity, individual freedom, and autonomy, as well as analyze strategies for resisting algorithmic governmentality. Finally, I consider the relationship between algorithmic governmentality and biopower, and the implications that algorithmic governmentality may have for life as such, which was traditionally associated with biopolitics, as well as question the future of the concept of biopower.