Cybioses: Shaping Human-Technology Futures (2019-2021)
Next events:
Far Futures Archeology: collaborative excavations. Writing workshop and publication project. 6.03.-31.03.2021. Application deadline: Dec 21 2020.
About Cybioses:
The aim of our group is to discuss and to examine the development of new human-technology relations and imaginaries. The name of the circle, ‘Cybiosis’ (pl. cybioses), is a neologism, based on ‘cybernetic’, ‘symbiosis’, and ‘bio’, and it embodies the new technological modes of living that we aim to investigate in the circle.
As a speculative metaphor, the term ‘Cybiosis’ allows us to imagine mutually beneficial relationships between cybernetic systems and human life. This directs our research interests to the ambivalent co-relationship between systems of symbioses and inclusion, on the one hand, and technologies that serve to commodify life forms and extend the networks of control, on the other.
We invite scholars, artists, students, technologists and other professionals working or writing on future technologies to take part in our study circle Cybioses: Shaping human-technology futures, a migratory non-hierarchical group of international researchers.
The aim of the Cybioses circle is to bring together theorists, artists, practitioners, scholars, and technologists. Together we want to discuss practices of making and the social and cultural impact of future technologies. How can philosophical questions support the development of technologies? How in turn can technological practices and development inform philosophical, aesthetic, and sociological theories? And how can both making and theorizing help us imagining future technologies and their impact on societies? Is it possible to extrapolate from making? Guided by these questions we want to develop a philosophy for makers and a better practice for philosophy.
Winter session 2021: Far Futures Archeology. Collaborative excavations.
In the Far Futures Archeology: Collaborative Excavations” workshop we will explore various collaborative writing techniques applied to our shared archives, with the goal of producing an experimental publication as the outcome of the workshop.
In our previous symposia we have examined technology and improvisation, creativity, projection and the practice of prototyping as key practices of shaping futures: When is improvisation required in making or imagining futures? Can creativity be automated? How do we design (for) human-technology futures? And how can projecting into the future prevent us from repeating and prolonging what already exists today?
Since the beginning of our circle we have introduced a practice of collaborative writing pads during the symposia, for collective note-taking and thought-sharing. We now invite the previous participants of our circle and external researchers to engage with our accumulated archive during a three-stage online writing workshop in spring. The long-term output of the workshop is a publication/anthology.
Our circle takes place within the Nordic and Baltic framework of Nordic Summer University (NSU). Since its inception, the primary aim of NSU has been to provide a forum for experimentation and cross-disciplinary collaboration welcoming members both from within and outside of universities and other institutions.
Previous Symposia:
Far Human-Technology Futures ( 26 July – 2 August 2020, online, https://tracingthespirit.com)
CFP Summer Session “Traces” – 2020 – online
Prototyping Futures (March 12-15, 2020, in collaboration with diffrakt: centre for theoretical periphery, Berlin, Germany)
CFP Winter Session 2020 – Berlin – Germany
Projective Philosophies: tools and theories for making futures (July 28th – August 4th 2019, Roosta, Estonia)
CFP Summer Session 2019 – Roosta – Estonia
Technologies and Creativity (March 21-24, 2019, in collaboration with Nida Art Colony, Nida, Lithuania)
CFP Winter Session 2019 – Nida – Lithuania
Programme Winter Session 2019 – Nida – Lithuania
Technologies and Improvisation: tools and theories for uncertain futures (February 7-9, 2018, in collaboration with University of Gothenburg, Sweden)
CFP Ad Hoc Symposium 2018 – Gothenburg – Sweden
Programme Ad Hoc Symposium – Gothenburg – Sweden
Coordinators:
Turkey.
Sweden.
Germany.