Sybille Krämer - The 'cultural technique of flattening' as creative potential. Reflections on the medial conditions of digitalization

When: 2024-05-13 14:00-16:00 (Tallinn time)
Where: online

The event is public via zoom: https://zoom.us/j/94927755198?pwd=VWpWU25DY1JlVFJsbDF4aUtyL3Zvdz09
Websites: https://sybillekraemer.de/en/

Abstract – Digitalization is both continuity and disruption. ‘Continuity’ means that there is an embryonic digitality before and independent of the computer. ‘Disruption’ means that completely new options for interacting with machines and artificial intelligence (contemporary chatbots etc.) are emerging as a result of datification in the context of big data. And yet there is a binding factor that holds both perspectives together. This is the ‘cultural technique of flattening’ understood as a creative anthropotechnical potential: Without working with inscribed and illustrated surfaces - from the invention of images, writing, and diagrams to the computer screens and smartphones that permeate our everyday lives today - sciences and many of the arts, complex technology, architecture and administration would not be possible. Digitalization relates to this cultural technology and radicalizes it at the same time. The talk will describe, explain, and comment on this subject.

Additional information – Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sybille Krämer, Freie Universität Berlin (ret.) & Leuphana University Lueneburg (guestprofessor). Until retirement in April 2018, professor of philosophy at the Freie Universitaet Berlin; since March 2019, professor at the Leuphana University of Lueneburg, Institute for Aesthetics and Culture of Digital Media. Visiting professorships at universities in Tokyo, Yale, Vienna, Graz, Zuerich, and Lucerne. Honorary doctorate from the University of Linkoeping/Sweden. Academic functions: Formerly member of the German Science Council, the Scientific Panel of the European Research Council (Brussels), the Senate of the German Research Foundation. Formerly permanent fellow at the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Fellowships at IFK Vienna, IKKM Bauhaus University Weimar, MECS University Lueneburg. Fields of research: Theory of mind, epistemology, philosophy of rationalism (Descartes, Leibniz), philosophy of language, writing and image, media philosophy, and theory of digitalisation. Writings have been translated into English, French, Italian, Hungarian, Czech, as well as Japanese and Chinese.