Please circulate! For more info see:
http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/cultural-studies/html/life.html-- -- -- --
Life's (re-)emergence: philosophy, culture, and politics
A one-day conference * Friday 23 May 2003 * Goldsmiths College * London
Ian Gulland Lecture Theatre * 10am - 6pm
Speakers:
Brian Massumi (University of Montreal): Living Memory
John Mullarkey (University of Sunderland): Bio-Aesthetics or the Memory of
the Senses
Luciana Parisi (University of East London): Abstract Sex: bio-digital
machines and symbiotic micropolitics
Jamie King (Mute/University of Minnesota) and Matthew Hyland (Wolverine): An
inherited agenda for annihilating nothingness
Howard Caygill (Goldsmiths College): Life and Energy
Scott Lash (Goldsmiths College): Comments on 'Living Memory'
Suhail Malik (Goldsmiths College): Comments on 'Living Memory'
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In recent years life has emerged as a concept of extraordinary scope,
reaching into a wide variety of fields. In the tradition of continental
philosophy, life as well as related concepts (virtuality, emergence,
multiplicity, etc.) opens up novel ways in which crucial ontological
problems can be addressed. In the social sciences, the concept of life has
begun to redefine critical disciplines such as cultural studies. In more
praxis-oriented fields such as management (complex adaptive systems), or
computing (a-life), life is increasingly established as a central paradigm.
Most visibly, though, it is the advances in the fields of biotechnology and
biomedicine that has led to the problematisation of life.
Clearly, the conceptual terrains covered by the different notions of life
diverge rather substantially. Life, it seems, does not always equal life. Or
does it ever?
In the context of this con
ference, life's (re-)emergence is strongly linked
to the comeback of Henri Bergson. His philosophy of life shall serve as
point of departure for the exploration of life¹s importance for mind,
individuality, and culture. It is our intention to provide a platform on
which connections can be drawn among heterogeneous approaches to life. In
doing this, we hope to be able to create a temporal life-machine that can be
employed to explore new approaches to philosophy, culture and politics.
Attendance is free, but please reserve seats in advance. For reservations,
conference abstracts, schedule, or any other information, email Maria Lakka
cup01ml@gold.ac.uk, phone 077 21 76 21 31, or see
http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/cultural-studies/html/life.htmlGenerously supported by: Centre for Cultural Studies • Centre for the Study
of Invention & Social Process • Visual Arts • English & Comparative
Literature • Media & Communications