Mode of Existence of Technical Objects Translation Excerpt Mellamphy Mellamphy and Mellamphy

7/29/2019 Mode of Existence of Technical Objects Translation Excerpt Mellamphy Mellamphy and Mellamphy

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OntheModeofExistenceofTechnicalofTechnicalObjects

by

GilbertSimondon

THIRDPART

THEESSENCEOFTECHNICITY

ChapterI

THEGENESISOFTECHNICITY

ITHENOTIONOFPHASEAPPLIEDTOBECOMING:TECHNICITYASPHASE

Thisstudypostulatesthattechnicityisoneofthetwofundamentalphasesofthe

modeofexistenceoftheensembleconstitutedbymanandtheworld. Byphase,wedonot

meanonetemporalmomentreplacedbyanother,butanaspectthatresultsfromadivision

ofbeingandthatisopposedtoanotheraspect. Thissenseofthewordphaseisinspiredby

thenotionofphaserelationinphysics;onecannotconceiveofaphaseexceptinrelationto

anotherortoseveralotherphases;inasystemofphasesthereisarelationofequilibrium

andofreciprocaltensions;thepresentsystemofallthephasestakentogetheristhe

completereality,noteachphaseitselfsinceaphaseisaphaseonlyinrelationtoothers,and

itisdistinguishedfromtheminamannerthatistotallyindependentofnotionsofgenusand

species. Finally,theexistenceofapluralityofphasesdefinestherealityofaneutralcentre

ofequilibriuminrelationtowhichthephaseshiftexists. Thisschemaisverydifferentfrom

thedialecticalschema,becauseitimpliesneithernecessarysuccessionnortheintervention


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ofnegativityasengineofprogress;moreover,intheschemaofphases,theoppositionexists

onlyintheparticularcaseofabiphasestructure.

Theadoption

of

such

aschema

founded

on

the

notion

of

phase

is

destined

to

put

in

playaprincipleaccordingtowhichthetemporaldevelopmentofalivingrealityproceedsby

divisionfromaninitialactivecentreandthenbyregroupingaftertheadvanceofeach

separaterealityresultingfromthedivision.Eachseparaterealityisasymboloftheother,just

asonephaseisasymboloftheotherorofothers;nophase,asphase,isinequilibriumin

relationtoitself,nordoesithavecompletetruthorreality:everyphaseispartial,abstract,

andunbalanced;onlythesystemofphasesisinequilibriumatitsneutralpoint;itstruthand

itsrealityarethisneutralpoint,theprocessionandconversioninrelationtothisneutral

point.

Wesupposethattechnicityresultsfromaphaseshiftofacentral,original,and

uniquemode

of

being

in

the

world,

the

magical

mode;

the

phase

that

balances

technicity

is

thereligiousmodeofbeing.Aestheticthinkingemergesattheneutralpointbetween

technicsandreligion,atthemomentofthedivisionofprimitivemagicalunity:thisisnota

phasebut,rather,apermanentreminderoftheruptureoftheunityofthemagicalmodeof

beingandasearchforafutureunity.

Eachphaseinturndividesintoatheoreticalmodeandapracticalmode;thereisthus

apracticalmodeoftechnicsandapracticalmodeofreligion,aswellasatheoreticalmodeof

technicsandatheoreticalmodeofreligion.


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Justasthedistancebetweentechnicsandreligiongeneratesaestheticthinking,so

thedistancebetweenthetwotheoreticalmodes(thetechnicalandthereligious)generates

scientificknowledgeasmediationbetweentechnicsandreligion.Thedistancebetweenthe

practicaltechnicalmodeandthepracticalreligiousmodegeneratesethicalthinking.

Aestheticthinkingisthereforeamediationbetweentechnicsandreligionthatismore

primitivethanscienceandethics,forthebirthofscienceandethicsrequiresapriordivision

withintechnicsandreligionbetweenthetheoreticalmodeandthepracticalmode. Fromthis

resultsthefactthataestheticthinkingistrulysituatedattheneutralpoint,extendingthe

existenceofmagic,whereasscienceontheonehandandethicsontheotherareinconflict

inrelationtotheneutralpoint,sincethereisthesamedistancebetweenthemasthereis

betweenthetheoreticalmodeandthepracticalmodeintechnicsandinreligion.Ifscience

andethicscouldhaveconvergedandunited,theywouldhavecoincidedintheneutralaxisof

thisgeneticsystem,therebyprovidingasecondanalogueofmagicalunity,overandabove

theincomplete

aesthetic

thinking

that

is

its

first

analogue,

incomplete

because

it

allows

the

phaseshiftbetweentechnicsandreligiontosubsist. Thissecondanaloguewouldbe

complete;itwouldreplaceatoncemagicandaesthetics;butperhapsitisonlyasimple

tendencyplayinganormativerole,sincenothingprovesthatthedistancebetweenthe

theoreticalmodeandthepracticalmodecanbecompletelybridged.

Inordertoindicatethetruenatureoftechnicalobjects,itisthereforenecessaryto

resorttoastudyoftheentiregenesisoftherelationsbetweenmanandtheworld;the

technicityofobjectswouldthenseemtobeoneofthetwophasesoftherelationofmanto

theworldengenderedbythedivisionofprimitivemagicalunity.Shouldtechnicitythenbe


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consideredasasimplemomentinagenesis?Yes,inacertainsense:thereiscertainly

somethingtransitoryintechnicity,whichitselfbecomesdividedintotheoryandpracticeand

participatesinthesubsequentgenesisoftheoreticalthinkingandofpracticalthinking.But,in

anothersense,thereissomethingdefinitiveintheoppositionoftechnicitytoreligiosity,

becausemansprimitivewayofbeingintheworld(magic)canbethoughttoprovide

inexhaustiblyanindefinitenumberofsuccessivecontributionsthatcanbedividedintoa

technicalphaseandareligiousphase; inthismanner,althougheffectivelythereis

successioningenesis,thesuccessivestagesofthedifferentgenesesaresimultaneouswithin

culture,andtherearerelationsandinteractionsnotonlybetweensimultaneousphasesbut

alsobetweensuccessivestages;hence,technicscanencounternotonlyreligionand

aestheticthinkingbutalsoscienceandethics.Now,ifoneadoptsthegeneticpostulate,one

noticesthatascienceoranethicscanneverencounterareligionoratechnicsonatruly

commonground,sincethemodesofthinkingthataredifferentindegree(forexamplea

scienceand

atechnique)

and

that

exist

at

the

same

time

do

not

constitute

asingle

genetic

lineage,donotissuefromthesamesurgeoftheprimitivemagicaluniverse.Trueand

balancedrelationsonlyexistbetweenphasesofthesamelevel(forexampleatechnical

ensembleandareligion)orbetweensuccessivedegreesofgenesisthatarepartofthesame

lineage(forexamplebetweenthestageoftechnicsandofreligionsintheseventeenth

century

and

the

contemporary

stage

of

science

and

of

ethics).

True

relations

exist

only

in

a

geneticensemblebalancedaroundaneutralpoint,envisagedinitstotality.

Thisispreciselythegoaltobereached:reflexivethinkinghasamissiontoredressand

refinethesuccessivewavesofgenesisbywhichtheprimitiveunityoftherelationofmanto


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theworldbecomesdividedandcomestosustainscienceandethicsthroughtechnicsand

religion,betweenwhichaestheticthinkingdevelops. Inthesesuccessivedivisions,primitive

unitywouldbelostifscienceandethicswerenotabletocometogetherattheendofthe

genesis;philosophicalthinkingisinsertedbetweentheoreticalthinkingandpractical

thinking,intheextensionofaestheticthinkingandoftheoriginalmagicalunity.

Now,tomakepossibletheunityofscientificknowledgeandofethicsinphilosophical

thinking,thesourcesofscienceandofethicshavetobeofthesamedegree,

contemporaneousonewiththeother,andmusthavearrivedatthesamepointofgenetic

development.Thegenesisoftechnicsandofreligionconditionsthatofscienceandof

ethics.Philosophyisitsowncondition,forassoonasreflexivethinkingbegins,ithasthe

powertoperfectwhicheverofthegenesesthathasnotbeenentirelyachieved,bybecoming

awareofthesenseofthegeneticprocessitself.So,tobeabletoposethephilosophical

problemoftherelationsbetweenknowledgeandethicsinaprofoundmanner,itwouldbe

necessaryfirstofalltocompletethegenesisoftechnicsandthegenesisofreligiousthinking,

orattheveryleast(forthistaskwouldbeinfinite)toknowtherealmeaningofthesetwo

geneses.

II.THEPHASESHIFTOFPRIMITIVEMAGICALUNITY

Inordertounderstandthetruerelationoftechnicstootherfunctionsofhuman

thinking, onemuststartwiththeprimitivemagicalunityoftherelationsofmanandworld;

throughthisexaminationitispossibletounderstandwhyphilosophicalthinkingshould


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completetheintegrationoftechnicalrealityintoculture,whichisonlypossiblebyfreeingthe

senseofthegenesisoftechnicsbythefoundingofatechnology;so,thedisparitybetween

technicsandreligionsubsides,harmfulasitistotheintendedreflexivesynthesisof

knowledgeandethics.Philosophymustfoundtechnology,whichistheecumenismof

technics,becauseifethicsandthesciencesaretomeetupinreflection,aunityoftechnics

andaunityofreligiousthinkingneedstoprecedethedivisionofeachoftheseformsof

thinkingintoatheoreticalmodeandapracticalmode.

Thegenesisofaparticularphasecanbedescribedinitself;butitcannotbereally

knowninitssenseand,consequently,understoodinitspostulationofunity,unlessitis

repositionedinthetotalityofitsgenesis,asaphaseinrelationtootherphases.Thisiswhyin

tryingtounderstandtechnicityitisnotenoughtostartwithconstitutedtechnicalobjects;

objectsemergeatacertainmoment,buttechnicityprecedesandsurpassesthem;technical

objectsresultfromanobjectificationoftechnicity;theyareproducedbyit,yettechnicityis

notexhaustedintheseobjectsandisnotentirelycontainedinthem.

Ifweeliminatetheideaofadialecticalrelationbetweensuccessivestagesofthe

relationbetweenmanandtheworld,whatcouldbetheengineofsuccessivedivisionsduring

whichtechnicityemerges? ItispossibletoappealtothetheoryofForms,andtogeneralize

the

relation

that

it

establishes

between

figure

and

ground.

Gestalt

theory

draws

its

basic

principlefromthehylemorphicschemaofancientphilosophy,appliedtomodern

considerationsofphysicalmorphogenesis:thestructuringofasystemwoulddependon

spontaneousmodificationstendingtowardastablestateofequilibrium.Inreality,itseems


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thatadistinctionshouldbemadebetweenastableequilibriumandametastable

equilibrium.Theemergenceofthedistinctionbetweenfigureandgroundresultsfroma

stateoftension,fromtheincompatibilityofthesysteminrelationtoitself,fromwhatone

couldcalltheoversaturationofthesystem.Butthestructuringisnotthediscoveryofthe

lowestlevelofequilibrium:stableequilibrium,inwhichallpotentialwouldbeactualized,

wouldcorrespondtothedeathofanypossibilityoffurthertransformation;so,livingsystems,

preciselythosethatmanifestthegreatestorganizationalspontaneity,aresystemsof

metastableequilibrium. Thediscoveryofastructureisatleastaprovisionalresolutionof

incompatibilities,butitisnotthedestructionofpotentials;thesystemcontinuestoliveand

toevolve;itisnotdegradedbytheemergenceofstructure;itremainstenseandcapableof

beingmodified.

Ifoneagreestoacceptthiscorrectiveandtoreplacethenotionofstabilitywiththat

ofmetastability,thenitseemsthattheTheoryofFormsmayaccountforfundamentalstages

intheevolutionoftherelationbetweenmanandtheworld.

Primitivemagicalunityisthevitalrelationallinkbetweenmanandtheworld,defining

auniverseatoncesubjectiveandobjectivepriortoanydistinctionbetweenobjectand

subject,andconsequentlyalsopriortoanyemergenceoftheseparateobject.Theprimitive

mode

of

the

relation

of

man

to

the

world

can

be

thought

of

as

not

only

prior

to

the

objectificationoftheworld,buteventothesegregationofobjectiveunitiesinthefieldthat

willbecometheobjectivefield. Manfindsthatheisboundtoauniversethatisexperienced

asamilieu.Theemergenceoftheobjectcanonlyhappenthroughtheisolationand


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fragmentationofthemediationbetweenmanandtheworld;andaccordingtotheprinciple

proposed,thisobjectificationofamediationmusthaveascorrelative,inrelationtothe

primitiveneutralcentre,thesubjectificationofmediation. Themediationbetweenmanand

theworldbecomesobjectifiedasatechnicalobject,inthesamewayasitissubjectifiedasa

religiousmediator;butthisobjectificationandthissubjectification,contraryand

complementary,areprecededbyaprimarystageoftherelationtotheworld,themagical

stage,inwhichthemediationisstillneithersubjectivenorobjective,neitherfragmentednor

universalized,andisthesimplestandmostfundamentalstructuringofthemilieuofaliving

being:thebirthofanetworkofprivilegedpointsofexchangebetweenthebeingandthe

milieu.

Themagicaluniverseisalreadystructured,butaccordingtoamodethatispriorto

thesegregationofobjectandsubject;thisprimitivemodeofstructuringistheonethat

distinguishesfigurefromgroundbymarkingkeypointsintheuniverse.Iftheuniversewere

deprivedofeverystructure,therelationbetweenthelivingbeinganditsmilieucouldoccur

inacontinuoustimeandacontinuousspace,withoutprivilegedmomentorplace.Infact,

precedingthesegregationofunities,areticulationofspaceandtimeisestablishedthat

highlightsprivilegedplacesandmoments,asifallofman'spowertoactandallthecapacity

oftheworldtoinfluencemanwereconcentratedintheseplacesandinthesemoments.

Theseplacesandthesemomentspossess,concentrate,andexpresstheforcescontainedin

thegroundrealitythatsupportsthem. Thesesitesandthesemomentsarenotseparate

realities;theydrawtheirforcefromthegroundthattheydominate;buttheylocalizeand

focalizetheattitudeofthelivingvisvisitsmilieu.


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Accordingtothisgeneralgenetichypothesis,wesupposethattheprimitivemodeof

existenceofmanintheworldcorrespondstoaprimitiveunion,priortoanydivision,of

subjectivityand

objectivity.

The

primary

structuring,

corresponding

to

the

emergence

of

a

figureandagroundinthismodeofexistence,iswhatgivesbirthtothemagicaluniverse.The

magicaluniverseisstructuredaccordingtothemostprimitiveandmostfecundof

organizations:thatofthereticulationoftheworldintoprivilegedplacesandprivileged

moments.Aprivilegedplace,aplacethathasapower,isonewhichdrawsintoitselfallthe

forceandefficacyofthedomainitdelimits;itsummarizesandcontainstheforceofa

compactmassofreality;itsummarizesandgovernsit,asanhighlandgovernsanddominates

alowland;theelevatedpeakisthelordofthemountain,1justasthemostimpenetrablepart

ofthewoodiswhereallitsrealityresides.Themagicalworldisinthiswaymadeofa

networkofplacesandthingsthathaveapowerandareboundtootherthingsandother

placesthatalsohaveapower.Suchapath,suchanenclosure,suchatemenoscontainsall

theforceoftheland,andisthekeypointoftherealityandofthespontaneityofthings,as

wellasoftheiraccessibility.

Insuchanetworkofkeypoints,ofhighplaces,thereisaprimitiveindistinction

regardinghumanrealityandtherealityoftheobjectiveworld. Thesekeypointsarerealand

objective,

but

in

them

the

human

being

is

immediately

united

with

the

world,

both

to

be

influencedbyitandtoactuponit;theyareplacesofcontactandofmixed,mutualreality,

placesofexchangeandofcommunicationbecausetheyformaknotbetweenbothrealities.

1Notmetaphoricallybutreally:thegeologicalfoldingandtheeruptionthatbuiltthewholemassifareoriented

towardthepeak.Thepromontoryisthefirmestpartofthechainerodedbythesea.


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Yet,magicalthoughtisthefirst,becauseitcorrespondstothesimplest,most

concrete,mostimmense,andmostsupplestructuring:thatofreticulation.Inthetotality

constitutedby

man

and

the

world

there

emerges

as

the

primary

structure

anetwork

of

privilegedsitesthatmakepossibletheinsertionofhumaneffort,andthroughwhich

exchangesbetweenmanandtheworldarecarriedout. Eachsingularsiteconcentrates

withinitselfthecapacitytohavecontroloveraportionoftheworldthatitspecifically

representsandwhoserealityitconveysincommunicationwithman.Thesesingularsites

couldbecalledkeypointscontrollingthemanworldrelationshipinareversibleway,forthe

worldinfluencesmanjustasmaninfluencestheworld. Thesummitsofmountainsorcertain

narrowpassesareinthiswaynaturallymagical,becausetheygovernaregion.Theheartof

theforestandthecentreofaplainarenotjustgeographicalrealitiesmetaphoricallyor

geometricallydesignated:theyarerealitiesthatconcentratenaturalpowersastheyfocalize

humaneffort:theyarefiguralstructuresinrelationtothemassethatsupportsthemandthat

constitutestheirground.

Ingeneral,welooktosuperstitionwhenwewanttofindanexampleoftheschemas

ofmagicalthinkingintheactualconditionsoflife.Infact,superstitionsarefadedvestigesof

magicalthinkingand,inasearchforitsrealessence,theycanonlybemisleading.Onthe

other

hand,

to

understand

the

meaning

of

magical

thinking,

it

is

advisable

to

resort

to

high,

nobleandsacredformsofthoughtthatrequireaclearandinsightfuleffort.That,for

example,istheaffective,representative,andvoluntarysubstratumthatsupportsanascent

oranexploration.Perhapsthedesireforconquestandthesenseofcompetitionunderliethe


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motivationthatmakesitpossibletomovefromeverydayexistencetoexceptionalacts;but

certainlywhenthedesireforconquestisinvoked,itisamatterofmakinganindividualact

legitimateforacommunity.Infact,intheindividualbeingorinthegrouplimitedtothose

whoperformtheexceptionalact,thethinkingimplementedismuchmoreprimitiveand

muchmoreelaborate.

Ascent,explorationand,moregenerally,everypioneeringactconsistsinadheringto

thekeypointsthatnaturepresents.Climbingaslopeinordertogotowardthesummitisto

makeoneswaytowardtheprivilegedplacethatcommandstheentiremountainousmassif,

notinordertodominateortotakepossessionofit,buttoenterintoafriendlyrelationship

withit. Manandnaturearenotstrictlyspeakingenemiesbeforesuchaccessiontothekey

point,butstrangerstooneother. Untilithasbeenclimbed,thesummitisonlyasummit,a

placehigherthantheothers.Theascentgivesitthecharacterofaplacethatismorefully

developed,elaborate,andnonabstract,aplacewherethisexchangebetweentheworldand

manoccurs.Thesummitistheplacefromwhichthewholemassifisseeninanabsoluteway,

whileviewsfromallotherplacesarerelativeandincomplete,makingonewishforthe

summitpointofview.Anexpeditionoranavigationthatmakesitpossibletoreacha

continentbyanestablishedroutedoesnotconqueranything;nevertheless,inmagical

thinkingtheyarevalidinthattheymakepossiblecontactwiththecontinentinaprivileged

placethatisakeypoint. Themagicaluniverseismadeupofthenetworkofplacesproviding

accesstoeverydomainofreality:itconsistsofthresholds,summits,boundaries,andcrossing

pointsthatareconnectedtooneanotherbytheirsingularityandtheirexceptionalnature.


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Thisnetworkofboundariesisnotonlyspatialbutalsotemporal;therearenotable

datesandprivilegedmomentstobeginoneactionoranother.Besides,theverynotionof

beginningismagical,evenifeveryparticularvalueisdeniedonthedateofthebeginning;the

beginningofanactionthatistolastandthefirstactofwhatshouldbealongseriesought

nottohaveinthemselvesaparticularmajestyandpowerofdirection,iftheywerethought

tobecontrollingtheentiredurationoftheactionandthewholesequenceofefforts,

propitiousorotherwise;datesareprivilegedpointsoftimethatmakepossibleanexchange

betweenhumanintentionandthespontaneousunfoldingofevents. Thesearethetemporal

structuresbywhichmanisinsertedinnaturalbecoming,justastheinfluenceofnaturaltime

affectseachhumanlife,becomingdestiny.

Incivilizedlifetoday,agreatmanyinstitutionsconcernmagicalthinking,butare

hiddenbyutilitarianconceptsthatindirectlyjustifythem;inparticular,timeoff,festivals,and

vacationscompensatewiththeirmagicalchargeforthelossofmagicalpowerimposedby

civilizedurbanlife. Thus,vacationtrips,thatarethoughttoproviderestanddiversion,arein

factaquestforkeypointsoldornew;thesepointscanbethebigcityforcountrypeople,or

thecountrysideforcitydwellers,butmoregenerallytheyarenotanyparticularsiteinthe

cityorthecountryside;it[thekeypoint]istheshoreorthehighmountainoreventhe

bordercrossedonthewaytoaforeignland.Publicholidaysarerelatedtoprivileged

momentsoftime;occasionally,aconjunctionofsingularmomentsandsingularsitesis

possible.


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So,ordinarytimeandordinaryspaceserveasgroundforthesefigures;dissociated

fromtheground,figureswouldlosetheirmeaning;timeoffandcelebrationsarenota

releasefromordinarylifebysuspendingordinarylife,butasearchforprivilegedplacesand

datesinrelationtothecontinuousground.

Thisfiguralstructureisinherentintheworld,ratherthandetached;itisthe

reticulationoftheuniverseinprivilegedkeypointsatwhichexchangeshappenbetweenthe

livingbeinganditsmilieu. Now,itispreciselythisreticularstructurethatgoesoutofphase

whenthereisashiftfromtheoriginalmagicalunitytotechnicsandtoreligion:figureand

groundseparatebybecomingdetachedfromtheuniversetowhichtheyadhered. Thekey

pointsbecomeobjective,retainingonlytheirfunctionalmediatorycharacteristics,becoming

instrumental,mobile,capableofefficiencyinanyplaceandatanytime;asfigure,thekey

points,detachedfromthegroundforwhichtheywerethekey,becometechnicalobjects,

transportableand abstractedfromthemilieu.Atthesametime,thekeypointslosetheir

mutualreticulationandtheirpowerofdistantinfluenceontherealitythatsurroundedthem;

astechnicalobjectstheyhaveonlyoneactionuponcontact,sitebysite,instantbyinstant.

Thisruptureofthenetworkofkeypointsfreesthecharacteristicsoftheground,andthesein

turnbecomedetachedfromtheirownground,narrowlyqualitativeandconcrete,inorderto

hoveroverthewholeuniverse,throughoutspaceandthroughouttime,intheformof

detachedpowersandforcesabovetheworld.Whilethekeypointsbecomeobjectiveinthe

formofconcretizedtoolsandinstruments,thegroundpowersbecomesubjectiveby

becomingpersonifiedintheformofthedivineandthesacred(Gods,heroes,priests).


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Theprimitivereticulationofthemagicalworldisthusthesourceofanobjectification

andasubjectificationthatareinconflict;atthemomentoftheruptureoftheinitial

structuring,thefactthatthefigurebecomesdetachedfromthegroundisexpressedby

anotherdetachment:figureandgroundthemselvesarefreedfromtheirconcreteadherence

totheuniverseandtakecontrastingpathways;thefigurebecomesfragmented,whereasthe

groundqualitiesandforcesbecomeuniversalized:thisbreakupandthisuniversalizingare

formsofbecoming,thefigurebecominganabstractfigure,andgroundsbecomingasingle

abstractground.Thisphaseshiftofthemediationintofiguralcharacteristicsandground

characteristicstranslatesintotheemergenceofadistancebetweenmanandtheworld.The

meditationitself,insteadofbeingasimplestructuringoftheuniverse,takesonacertain

density;itbecomesobjectifiedintechnicsandbecomessubjectifiedinreligion,makingthe

firstobjectappearinthetechnicalobjectandthefirstsubjectappearindivinity,when

previouslytherehadbeenasingleunityofthelivinganditsmilieu:objectivityand

subjectivityemerge

between

the

living

and

its

milieu,

between

man

and

the

world,

at

a

momentwhentheworlddoesnotyethaveacompletestatusasobjectnormanacomplete

statusassubject.Moreover,itcanbeaffirmedthatobjectivityisnevercompletely

coextensivewiththeworld,andthatsubjectivityisnevercompletelycoextensivewithman.

Itisonlywhentheworldisenvisagedfromatechnicistperspectiveandmanisenvisaged

from

a

religious

perspective

that

one

can

be

called

a

complete

object

and

the

other

a

completesubject.Pureobjectivityandpuresubjectivityaremodesofthemediationbetween

manandtheworld,intheirfirstform.


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Religionandtechnicsaretheorganizationoftwosymmetricalandcontrasting

mediations;buttheyformacouple,sinceeachisbutonephaseoftheprimitive

mediation.Inthissense,theydonothaveadefinitiveautonomy. Furthermore,evenwhen

takeninthesystemthattheyform,theycannotbeconsideredasenclosingallthereal,since

theyarebetweenmanandtheworld,butdonotcontaintheentirerealityofmanandofthe

world,andcannotapplytoitinacompleteway.Becauseofthegapbetweenthesetwo

opposingaspectsofmediation,scienceandethicsdeepentherelationbetweenmanandthe

world.Withregardtoscienceandtoethics,thetwoprimitivemediationsplayanormative

role:scienceandethicsarebornintheintervaldefinedbythegapbetweentechnicsand

religion,byfollowingthemediandirection;theprecedencethatreligionandtechnicshaveto

scienceandethicsisofthesameorderastheprecedencethatlineslimitingananglehaveto

thebisectorofthatangle:thesidesoftheanglemaybeindicatedbyshortsegments,

whereasthebisectorcanbeextendedindefinitely.Likewise,fromthegapthatexists

betweenvery

primitive

technics

and

avery

primitive

religion,

avery

elaborate

science

and

veryelaborateethicscanbeprogressivelyconstructedwithoutbeinglimitedby,butonly

directedby,thebasicconditionsoftechnicsandreligion.

Theoriginofthedivisionthatcreatedtechnicalthinkingandreligiousthinkingcanbe

attributedtoaprimitivestructureofreticulationthatistrulyfunctional.Thisdivision

separatedfigurefromground,figureprovidingthecontentoftechnics,andgroundproviding

thatofreligion.Whereasinthemagicalreticulationoftheworld,figureandgroundare

reciprocalrealities,technicsandreligionemergewhenfigureandgroundbecomedetached

fromoneanother,inthiswaybecomingmobile,divisible,displaceable,anddirectlyopento


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manipulationbecausedisconnectedfromtheworld.Technicalthinkingretainsonlythe

schematismofstructures,ofwhatmakesuptheefficiencyofactiononsingularsites;these

singularsites,detachedfromtheworldofwhichtheywerethefigure,detachedalsofrom

oneanother,losingtheirimmobilizingreticularconcatenation,becomedivisibleand

receptiveaswellasreproducibleandconstructible. Theelevatedplacebecomesan

observationpost,awatchtowerconstructedintheplain,oratowerplacedattheentranceto

agorge.Atthebeginning,technicsareoftencontenttodevelopaprivilegedplace,aswhen

constructingatoweratthesummitofahill,orplacingalighthouseonapromontoryatthe

mostvisiblepoint.Buttechnicscanalsosuccessfullycreatethefunctionalityofprivileged

sites. Ofnaturalrealitiestechnicsretainonlythefiguralpower,notthesiteandnatural

localizationonadeterminedgroundgivenpriortoanyhumanintervention.Dividingthe

schematismsmoreandmore,itmakessomethingintoatooloraninstrument,thatistosay,

afragmentdetachedfromtheworldcapableofworkingefficientlyinanylocationandunder

anyconditions,

site

by

site,

according

to

the

intention

that

directs

it

and

at

the

moment

whenmansowishes.Theaccessibilityofthetechnicalthingconsistsinitsbeingfreedfrom

servitudetothegroundoftheworld. Technicsareanalytic,operatingprogressivelyandby

contact,leavingasideconnectionbyinfluence.Inmagicthesingularplacepermitsaction

overawholedomain,justastalkingtothekingisenoughtowinoverawholepeople.In

technics,

on

the

other

hand,

all

of

reality

must

be

examined,

touched

and

treated

by

the

technicalobject,detachedfromtheworldandavailableforuseinanysiteatanymoment.

Thetechnicalobjectisdistinguishablefromthenaturalbeinginthesensethatitisnotpartof

theworld. Itintervenesasmediatorbetweenmanandtheworld;itis,therefore,thefirst


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detachedobject,fortheworldisaunity,amilieuratherthananensembleofobjects;there

areinfactthreetypesofreality:theworld,thesubject,andtheobject,whichisan

intermediarybetweentheworldandthesubject,theprimaryformofwhichisthetechnical

object.

III.DIVERGENCEOFTECHNICALTHINKINGANDOFRELIGIOUSTHINKING

Technicalthinking,whichresultsfromtheruptureoftheprimitivereticularstructure

ofthemagicalworld,andwhichretainsthosefiguralelementsthatcanbedepositedin

objects,tools,orinstruments,gainsfromthisdetachmentanaccessibilitythatmakes

possibleitsapplicationtoeveryelementoftheworld. However,thisrupturealsoproducesa

deficit:thetoolorthetechnicalinstrumenthasretainedonlyitsfiguralcharacteristics,and

figuralaspectsthataredetachedfromthegroundwithwhichtheyhadoncebeendirectly

connectedsincetheycamefromaprimarystructuringthatcausedfigureandgroundto

springupasasingleandcontinuousreality.Inthemagicaluniverse,thefigurewasthefigure

ofagroundandthegroundthegroundofafigure;thereal,theunityofthereal,wasatonce

figureandground;thequestionofapossiblelackofeffectivenessofthefigureontheground

oroftheinfluenceofthegroundonthefigurecouldnothavearisen,sincefigureandground

constitutedasingleunityofbeing.Ontheotherhand,inthecaseoftechnics,afterthe

rupture,whatthetechnicalobjectretainedoffiguralcharacteristicsandmadethem

permanentfindsanygroundwhateveranonymousandforeign.Thetechnicalobjecthas

becomeabearerofform,aremnantoffiguralcharacteristics,andittriestoapplythatform

toagroundthatisnowdetachedfromthefigure,becauseithaslostitsintimateinherent


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relationshipandbecauseitcanbeinformedbyanyformencountered,butinaviolent,more

orlessimperfectmanner;figureandgroundhavebecomestrangersandabstractinrelation

tooneother.

Thehylemorphicschemadoesnotsolelydescribethegenesisoflivingbeings;itmight

notevendescribeitessentially.Perhapsalsoitdoesnotderivefromawellthoughtoutand

conceptualizedexperienceoftechnics:beforetheknowledgeofthelivingbeingandbefore

reflectionontechnics,thisimplicitadequacyoffigureandgroundisbrokenbytechnics. If

thehylemorphicschemaseemsdisengagedfromtechnicalexperience,thisisbecauseitis

moreanormandanidealthananexperienceofthereal.Technicalexperience,makinguse

ofvestigesoffiguralelementsandvestigesofgroundcharacteristics,revivestheprimary

intuitionofamutualadherenceofmatterandform,ofacouplingprecedinganydivision.In

thissense,thehylemorphicschemaiscorrect,notbecauseofthelogicaluseofitinancient

philosophy,butasanintuitionofthestructureoftheuniverseformanbeforethebirthof

technics.Thisrelationcannotbeorganizedasahierarchy:itcannothaveinitincreasingly

successiveandincreasinglyabstractstagesofmatterandofform,becausetherealmodelof

therelationbetweenmatterandformistheprimarystructuringoftheuniverseasfigureand

ground;now,thisstructuringistrueonlyifitisnotabstract,ifitisatonestageonly;the

groundisreallygroundandthefigurereallyfigure,anditcannotbecomegroundforahigher

figure.ThemannerinwhichAristotledescribestherelationsbetweenformandmatter,in

particularthesuppositionthatmatteraspirestoform(matteraspirestoformasthefemale

tothemale)isalreadyfarfromprimitivemagicalthinking,forthataspirationcanonlyexistif

therehadbeenanearlierdetachment;so,itisasinglebeingthatisatoncematterandform.


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Furthermore,perhapsoneshouldnotsaythatonlytheindividualbeingismadeupofmatter

andform;becausetheemergenceofafiguregroundstructureispriortoanysegregationof

units. Themutualrelationofcorrespondencebetweenagivenkeypointandagivenground

neitherpresupposestheisolationofthekeypointfromthenetworkofotherkeypointsnor

thediscontinuityofthisgroundfromothergrounds:itisauniversethatisstructuredinthis

way,notanensembleofindividuals.Thefirstdetachedbeingstoemergeaftertheruptureof

theprimitivereticulationaretechnicalobjectsandreligioussubjects,andtheyare

responsibleforfiguralcharacteristicsastheyareforgroundcharacteristics:therefore,they

donotfullypossessmatterandform.

Thedissociationoftheprimitivestructuringfromthemagicaluniverseentailsaseries

ofconsequencesfortechnicsandreligion,andthroughthemitconditionsthelater

developmentofscienceandofethics. Infact,unitybelongstothemagicalworld.Thephase

shiftthatmakesforanoppositionbetweentechnicsandreligion,inanirreduciblewayleaves

technicalcontentwithastatuslesserthanunityandleavesreligiouscontentwithastatus

greaterthanunity. Thiscausesalltheotherconsequences.Aproperunderstandingofthe

statusofthetechnicityofobjectsdependsonitsbeinggraspedintermsofthedevelopment

thatputtheprimitiveunityoutofphase. Religion,retainingitsgroundcharacteristics

(homogeneity,qualitativenature,indistinctionofelementswithinasystemofmutual

influences,longrangeactionacrossspaceandtimeresultinginubiquityandeternity),

representstheimplementationofthefunctionsoftotality. Aparticularbeing,aprecise

objectofattentionorofeffort,isalwaysconsideredinreligiousthoughttobesmallerthan

realunity,inferiortothetotalityandincludedwithinit,exceededbythetotalityofspace,


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andprecededandfollowedbytheimmensityoftime. Whethersubjectorobject,theobject,

thebeing,theindividualisalwaysunderstoodtobelessthanunity,tobedominatedbya

presagedtotalitythatinfinitelytranscendsit. Thesourceofthetranscendenceliesinthe

functionoftotalitythatdominatestheparticularbeing;inthereligiousviewofthingsthis

particularbeingisunderstoodin relationtoatotalityinwhichitparticipates,becauseof

whichitexists,butwhichitcannevercompletelyexpress. Religionuniversalizesthefunction

oftotality,whichisdissociatedandconsequentlyfreedfromanyfiguralattachmentthat

limitsit;thegroundsconnectedtotheworldinmagicalthinkingandconsequentlylimitedby

theverystructuringofthemagicaluniverse,becomeinreligiousthinkingalimitless

background,spatialaswellastemporal.Theyretaintheirpositivegroundqualities(forces,

powers,influences,quality),butridthemselvesoftheirlimitsandtheadherencethat

attachedthemtoahicetnunc.Theybecomeabsoluteground,totalityofground.

Advancementintheuniversebeginsfromliberatedand,tosomeextent,abstractmagical

grounds.

Religiousthinking,afterthedisjunctionofgroundandfigure,retainstheotherpartof

themagicalworld:theground,withitsqualities,itstensions,itsforces;butthisground,too,

likethefiguralschemasoftechnics,becomessomethingdetachedfromtheworld,

abstractedfromtheprimitivemilieu.Andjustasthefiguralschemasoftechnics,freedfrom

theiradherencetotheworld,areaffixedtotoolorinstrumentinthecourseofbecoming

objectified,thequalitiesofgroundthattechnicitymakesavailableinthemobilizationof

figuresareaffixedtosubjects.Technicalobjectificationleadingtotheemergenceofthe

technicalobject,themediatorbetweenmanandtheworld,hasacounterpartinreligious


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subjectification. Justastechnicalmediationisinstitutedbymeansofsomethingthat

becomesatechnicalobject,soreligiousmediationemergesasaresultoftheaffixingof

groundcharacteristicsonsubjects,realorimaginary,divinitiesorpriests. Religious

subjectificationnormallyleadstomediationbythepriest,whiletechnicalmediationleadsto

mediationbythetechnicalobject.Technicityretainsthefiguralcharacteristicsofthe

primitivecomplexofmanandtheworld,whilereligiosityretainsthegroundcharacteristics.

Technicityandreligiosityareneitherdegradedformsofmagicnorrelicsofmagic;

theyissuefromthedivisionoftheprimitivemagicalcomplex,thereticulationoftheoriginal

humanmilieuintofigureandground. Itisthroughtheircouplingthattechnicsandreligion

aretheheirsofmagic,notthrougheachonitsown. Religionisnotmoremagicalthan

technics;itisthesubjectivephaseoftheresultofdivision,whereastechnicsarethe

objectivephaseoftheverysamedivision.Technicsandreligionarecontemporariesofeach

other,and,wheneachistakenseparately,theyaremoreimpoverishedthanthemagicfrom

whichtheyemerge.

Religion,therefore,hasbynaturethevocationtorepresenttheexigencyofthe

totality;whenitdividesintoatheoreticalmodeandapracticalmode,throughtheologyit

becomestheexigencyofasystematicrepresentationoftherealasanabsoluteunity;

through

morality,

it

becomes

for

ethics

the

exigency

of

absolute

norms

of

action

that

are

justifiedinthenameofthetotalityandsuperiortoallhypothetical,thatistosayparticular,

imperatives;toscienceastoethics,religionbringsaprincipleofreferencetothetotality,

whichistheaspirationtotheunityoftheoreticalknowledgeandtotheabsolutecharacterof


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themoralimperative.Religiousinspirationconstitutesapermanentreminderoftherelativity

ofoneparticularbeingwithrespecttoanunconditionaltotalityexceedingeveryobjectand

everysubjectofknowledgeandofaction.

Conversely,technicshaveacontentthatisalwayssubordinatetothestatusofthe

unity,becausetheschemasofefficiencyandthestructuresresultingfromthefragmentation

oftheprimitivenetworkofkeypointscannotbeappliedtothetotalityoftheworld. By

nature,technicalobjectsaremultipleanddivided;technicalthinking,enclosedinthis

plurality,canprogress,butonlybymultiplyingtechnicalobjects,withoutbeingableto

recapturetheprimitiveunity.Evenwhenmultiplyingtechnicalobjectsendlessly,itis

impossibletofindanabsoluteadequacytotheworld,sinceeachoftheobjectsattacksthe

worldinoneplaceonlyandinonemomentonly;itislocalized,particularized;adding

technicalobjectsonetoanothercanneitherremaketheworldnorregaincontactwiththe

worldinitsunity,whichwastheaimofmagicalthinking.

Inconnectionwithaspecificobjectorwithaspecifictask,technicalthinkingisalways

inferiortounity:itcanpresentseveralobjectsandseveralmeans,andselectthebest;but

nonetheless,italwaysremainsinadequatetothewholenessoftheunityoftheobjectorof

thetask. Eachschema,eachobject,eachtechnicaloperation,iscontrolledandguidedbythe

whole

from

which

it

derives

its

ends

and

its

orientation,

and

which

provides

it

with

a

never

attainedprincipleofunitythatisexpressedbycombiningandmultiplyingitsschemas.

Technicalthinkinghasbynaturethevocationtorepresentthepointofviewofthe

element;itadherestotheelementaryfunction.Oncetechnicityisadmittedintoadomainit


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breaksitupandstartsachainofsuccessiveandelementarymediationsgovernedbythe

unityofthedomainandsubordinatedtoit. Technicalthinkingconceivestheoperationofan

ensembleasachainofelementaryprocessesworkingpointbypointandstepbystep;it

localizesandmultipliestheschemasofmediation,alwaysremaininglesserthantheunity.

Theelementintechnicalthinkingismorestable,betterunderstood,andinacertainway

moreperfectthantheensemble;itisreallyanobject,whereastheensemblealwaysremains

toacertainextentinherentintheworld. Religiousthinkingfindstheoppositeequilibrium:in

it,thetotalityismorestable,morepowerful,andmoreviablethantheelement.

Inthetheoreticaldomainasintheethicaldomain,technicsareconcernedwiththe

element.Inthesciencesthecontributionoftechnicsconsistedinmakingpossiblea

representationofphenomenaonebyonebybreakingthemdownintosimpleelementary

processessimilartotheoperationsoftechnicalobjects;suchistheroleofthemechanistic

hypothesisthatenabledDescartestorepresenttherainbowasanoverallresultofthepoint

bypointtrajectorytakenbyeachluminouscorpuscleineachdropofraininacloud;andit

wasalsoaccordingtothesamemethodthatDescartesdescribesthefunctioningoftheheart

bybreakingdownacompletecycleintosimplesuccessiveoperationsandshowingthatthe

functioningofthewholeistheresultoftheplayofelementsnecessitatedbytheirparticular

disposition(forexample,thatofeachvalve). Descartesdoesnotaskhimselfwhytheheartis

madeinthisway,withvalvesandcavities,buthowitworksgivenhowitismade.The

applicationofschemasdrawnfromtechnicsdoesnotaccountfortheexistenceofthe

totality,takenasaunity,butdoesaccountforthepointbypointandinstantbyinstant

functioningofthattotality.


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Intheethicaldomain,technicalthinkingnotonlyintroducesmeansofactionthatare

fragmentaryandtiedtothecapacitiesofeachobjectthatisbecomingautensil,butalsoa

certainreduplication

of

the

action

by

technicity;

aspecific

human

action,

considered

with

respecttoitsresults,couldhavebeenaccomplishedbyaspecifictechnicalfunctioninggoing

throughvariousstages;elementsandmomentsofactionhavetheirtechnicalanalogue;an

effortofattention,ofmemory,couldhavebeenreplacedbyatechnicaloperation;technicity

providesapartialequivalencetotheresultsofaction;itaccentuatesawarenessoftheaction

bythebeingwhobringsittocompletionintheformofresults;itbroadcastsandobjectifies

theresultsoftheactionthroughcomparisonwiththoseofthetechnicaloperation,breaking

downtheactionintopartialresults,intoelementarycompletions.Justasinthesciences

technicityintroducesthesearchforthehowbyabreakingdownofensemblephenomena

intoelementaryoperations,so,inethicstechnicityintroducesthesearchforabreakingdown

oftheoverallactionintotheelementsofaction;becausethetotalactionisenvisagedasthat

whichproducesaresult,thebreakdownoftheactiongeneratedbytechnicsconsidersthe

elementsoftheactionasgesturesthatachievepartialresults.Technicityassumesthatan

actionislimitedtoitsresults;itisnotconcernedwiththesubjectoftheactiontakeninits

realtotality,norevenwithanactioninitstotality,totheextentthatthetotalityoftheaction

isfoundedontheunityofthesubject.Inethicsconcernwithresultsistheanalogueofthe

searchforthehowinthesciences;resultandprocessremainsubordinatetotheunityofthe

actionortotheensembleofthereal.


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Thepostulationofanabsoluteandunconditionaljustificationwhichreligiondirects

towardethicstranslatesintoasearchfortheintentionasopposedtoasearchfortheresult

thatisinspiredbytechnics.Inthesciences,religiousthinkingintroducesanappealfor

absolutetheoreticalunitythatrequiresasearchforthesenseofbecomingandtheexistence

ofgivenphenomena(hencerespondingtothewhy?),whereastechnicalthinkingoffersan

examinationofthehow?foreachofthephenomena.

Becauseitscontentisinferiortounity,technicalthinkingistheparadigmforall

inductivethinking,bothinthetheoreticalorderandinthepractical.Itcontainsthisinductive

processinitself,priortoanyseparationintopracticalandtheoreticalmodes.Induction,in

fact,isnotmerelyalogicalprocessinthestrictsenseoftheterm;anyprocesscanbe

consideredtobeaprocessoftheinductivetypeifitscontentisinferiorthestatusofunity,if

itstrivestoattainunityor,atleast,ifittendstowardunityfromapluralityofelements,each

ofwhichisinferiortounity. Whatinductiontakesholdof,whatitstartsfrom,isanelement

thatinitselfisnotsufficientandcomplete,anddoesnotconstituteaunity;so,itexceeds

eachparticularelementbycombiningitwithotherelementsthatarethemselvesparticular,

inordertofindananalogueofunity:ininductionthereisasearchforthegroundofreality

fromfiguralelementsthatarefragments;totrytofindalawbeneathphenomena,asinthe

inductionofBaconandStuartMill,ortotrytofindonlywhatiscommontoallindividualsof

agivenspecies,asinAristotlesinduction,istopostulatethatbeyondthepluralityof

phenomenaandofindividualsthereexistsastableandcommongroundforreality,thatis

theunityofthereal.


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Itisnodifferentinethicsthatwoulddirectlyderivefromtechnics;towantthewhole

durationoflifetobeaseriesofmoments,toextractfromeachsituationwhatispleasantin

it, andtowanttoconstructthehappinessoflifebyaccumulatingitsagreeableelements,as

didancientEudaimonismorUtilitarianism,istoproceedinaninductivemanner,bytryingto

replacetheunityofthedurationoflifeandtheunityofhumanaspirationwithapluralityof

instantsandwiththehomogeneityofallsuccessivedesires.Theelaborationtowhich

Epicureanismsubmitsdesireshasonegoalonly,whichistoincorporatethemintothe

continuityofanexistencethatproceedsinanaccumulativemanner:forthis,eachofthe

desiresmustbedominatedandsurroundedbythesubject,madelesserthanunity,sothatit

canbetreatedandmanipulatedasagenuineelement. Thisiswhythepassionsare

eliminated,sincetheycannotbetreatedaselements;theyarelargerthantheunityofthe

subject;theydominateit,theycomefromfartherawaythanitandtendtogofartheron

thanit,obligingittoexceeditslimits.Lucretiustriestodestroythepassionsfromwithin,by

showingthat

they

are

based

on

errors;

in

fact,

he

fails

to

account

for

the

element

of

tendencyinpassion, thatistosay,fortheforcethatisinsertedintothesubjectandyetis

moreextensivethanit,aforceinrelationtowhichitseemstobeaverylimitedbeing;

tendencycannotbeconsideredtobecontainedwithinthesubjectasaunity. Wisdom,

havingrestoredtheforcesattheoriginofactiontoastatusofinferioritywithrespecttothe

unity

of

the

moral

subject,

can

organize

them

as

elements

and

reconstruct

a

moral

subject

withinthenaturalsubject;however,thismoralsubjectnevercompletelyattainsthelevelof

unity;betweenthereconstructedmoralsubjectandthenaturalsubjectthereremainsavoid

impossibletofill;theinductiveapproachremainsinplurality;itconstructsanetworkof


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elements,butthisnetworkcannotamounttoarealunity. Allethicaltechnicsleavethe

moralsubjectunsatisfiedbecausetheyignoreitsunity;thesubjectcannotbecontentwitha

lifethatwouldbeaseries,evenanuninterruptedseries,ofhappymoments;alifethatis

perfectlysuccessfulelementbyelementisstillnotamorallife;itlackswhatmakesitthelife

ofasubject:unity.

Butconversely,religiousthinking,thefoundationofobligation,createsinethical

thoughtasearchforunconditionaljustificationwhichmakeseveryactandeverysubject

appeartobeinferiortorealunity;whenrelatedtoatotalitythatexpandsendlessly,the

moralactandsubjectderivetheirsignificancesolelyfromtheirrelationwiththistotality;the

communicationbetweenthetotalityandthesubjectisprecarious,becauseateverymoment

thesubjectisdrawnbacktothedimensionofitsownunity,whichisnotthatofthetotality;

theethicalsubjectisdecenteredbyreligiousexigency.

GilbertSimondon,1958,

translatedby

NinianMellamphy(DepartmentofEnglish,UniversityofWesternOntario,London),

DanMellamphy(CentrefortheStudyofTheoryandCriticism,UniversityofWesternOntario,London),and

NanditaBiswasMellamphy(DepartmentofPoliticalScience,UniversityofWesternOntario,London),

2010.

ForthcomingfromSemiotext(e).

Mode of Existence of Technical Objects Translation Excerpt Mellamphy Mellamphy and Mellamphy

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