TEL 555

Simulation, Hyper-Reality, Agents and the Future
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Jean Baudrillard

 

Mediation: Explosion and Implosion

 

Hyperreality?

·         1st order: signs reflect reality

·         2nd order: signs mask reality – ideology/hegemony

·         3rd order: signs mask absence of reality

·         4th order: signs become reality-no relation to reality (Simulacra):

Simulation and Simulacra

 

 

Kellner “Mapping the Present from the Future: From Baudrillard to Cyberpunk

 

Meaning of cyberpunk?

 

Postmodernism (Baudrillard) and Cyberpunk (Neuromancer)

·         Techno-social theories

·         Global capitalism

·         Fusion of form/style/products via mediated experiences

·         Aesthetics

·         Technocapitalism

·         Implosion

 

 

 

Baudrillard

Neuromancer-Cyberpunks

Simulation

Representations replace objects

VR-tech/bio fusion

Culture

Simulacra

Implosion, multi-national

Aesthetics

Implosion, simulated

Implosion, simulated

Reality/Truth

Simulacra-none

Multiplicity

Technology

Determinism-simulation (bad); triumphfull-human obsolete

Determinism-tool (good); triumphfull-human flesh obsolete

Individual

Not exist only simulation

Exists with power/sovereignty

Subjectivity

Lost in mediation/
communication

Preservation, emotionally driven

Power

Sign/symbol/language

Individual/tech

Sign/symbol

Becomes reality

Tools

Communication

Flat, superficial, surface

Depth, complex, multidimensional

Society

Artificial

Multinational-Corp./Info. based

 

 

Future?  Feminist Science Fiction, See: He, She, It by Marge Pearcy

 

 

Stone – “Sex, Death, and Machinery, or How I Fell in Love with My Prosthesis”

 

Physical identification of self in contrast to subjective position

 

·         Material location of self

 

Fiduciary subject

·         Warranting

 

Prosthesis vs. Tool

 

"Television has become our eyes, the telephone our mouths and ears; our brains are the interchange for a nervous system that stretches across the whole world" (Woolley).

 

 

Johnson “Agents”

 

·         Indirect manipulation

·         Personal agents

·         Travel agents

o        Anticipating/predicting needs

·         Social agents

 

 

X-Files

 

·         Multiple narratives (science fiction, technology, mystery, horror, humor, fantasy, action, thriller, paranormal, parody, some romance)

·         Technotradegy

·         Digital warriors/Cyberpunks

 

Mulder (Postmodern) and Scully (Modern)

 

 

Future?????

 

·         Virtual reality

·         Natural computers

·         Ubiquitous computing

·         Pay per use software

·         Digital economy

·         Robots, agents, spiders, etc…

·         Cyborgs, implants, and the human/machine

·         Artificial Intelligence and smart machines

·         Interactivity (e.g. webTV)

·         Simulations and digital identity

·         Nanotechnologies

·         Neural-networks