technical mentality

8/7/2019 Technical Mentality

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parrhesiajournal.org17

TECHNICALMENTALITY1

GilbertSimondon,translatedbyArneDeBoever2

Thispaperis not concernedwithontologybutwithaxiology. Itaimsto show that thereexistsatechnical

mentality,andthat thismentality isdeveloping,and thereforeincompleteand atrisk of beingprematurely

consideredasmonstrousandunbalanced.Itrequiresapreliminaryattitudeofgenerositytowardstheorderof

realitythatitseekstomanifest,becausethisincompletegenesisbringsintoplayvaluesthatageneralrefusal[of

thismentality]couldcondemntoignoranceandwouldrisknegating.

Wewilltrytoshowthatthetechnicalmentalityiscoherent,positive,productiveinthedomainof thecognitive

of thewill.

I.COGNITIVESCHEMAS

knowledge suigeneristhatessentiallyusestheanalogicaltransferandtheparadigm,andfoundsitself onthe

discoveryof commonmodesof functioning--orof regimeof operation--inotherwisedifferentordersofreality

thatarechosenjustaswellfromthelivingortheinertasfromthehumanorthenon-human.

LeavingAntiquity3aside,technologyhasalreadyyieldedinat least twoways schemasof intelligibilitythat

areendowedwitha latentpowerof universality:namely, intheformof theCartesianmechanismandof

cybernetictheory.

IntheCartesianmechanism,thefundamentaloperationof thesimplemachineisanalogoustothefunctioning

of logicalthoughtcapableof beingrigorousandproductive.Asimplemachineisatransfersystemthat,inthe

particularcaseinwhichthemovementis presumedtobereversible,in thestateof equilibrium,establishes

theidentityof aworkthatputsintomotionandaworkthatresists.If eachpieceof themachinecarriesout


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TECHNICAL MENTALITY

thistransferrigorously,thenumberofpiecescanbewhatever;whatchangesismerelythedirectionof forces-

-aswiththepulley--orthefactors(forceandmovement)of aproductthatremainsconstant,asinthecaseof thepulley-blocks.Therationalmentalprocessreturns theessenceof the customarytechnicalobjects tothis

quidetinconcussum,--theresistanceof thestoneof thefoundations--allthewaytothetop,throughsuccessive

levelsthateachactas thefoundationforthe immediatelyfollowinghigherlevel.4Thisintelligibilityofthe

conceptionof knowledge)allthemodesof thereal,appliesnotonlytotheRESEXTENSAbutalsotothe

conclusion,justlikeachaincarriesoutatransferof forcesfromtheanchoringpointtothelastlink.Therules

of themethodarenotonlyinspiredbymathematics;theyarealsoperfectlyconformtothedifferentstagesof

fabricationand technicalcontrol.Thoughtneedsananchoringpoint thatis theoperativeequivalentof the

stoneunderthebuilding,orof theringthatisattachedtotheoriginofthechain:certumquidetinconcussum:itisevidentwhatremainsafterallattemptsatdeconstruction,evenafterhyperbolicdoubt.Theconductof reasoning

pulley,aleverof whichthemechanicalfunctioninthewholeis simpleandperfectlyclear.Thethirdrule(of

theadaptationofthemachineasawholetothetworealitiesatbothendsofthechain.

Whatiscarriedoutinboththerationalstudyof machinesandintheconductof thoughtisthetransferwithout

losses: science andphilosophyare possiblebecause the transferwithout losses is presumedto be possible.

structure.Itwillthereforebeclearwhyonehaswantedtoconsiderlivingbeingsasmachines:if theywerent

machinesontologically,theywouldhavetobesoatleast analogicallyinordertobeobjectsof science.

Cybernetics,whichwasbornfromthemathematisationof theautomaticregulationapparatuses[dispositifs]-

recurringaimof informationonarelayapparatusasthebasicschemathatallowsforanactiveadaptationto

forthestudyof a largenumberof regulations--orof regulationfailures--intheliving,bothhumanandnon-

human,andof phenomenasubjecttobecoming,suchasthespeciesequilibriumbetweenpredatorsandpreys,

orof geographicalandmeteorologicalphenomena:variationsofthelevelof lakes,climaticregimes.

Inthissense,technologymanifestsinsuccessivewavesapowerof analogicalinterpretationthatis suigeneris;

indeed,itisnothemmedinbythe limitsof repartitionof essencesorof domainsof reality.Itdoesnottake

schemasexhaustsadomain,buteachof themaccountsforacertainnumberof effectsineachdomain,and

allowsforthepassageofonedomaintoanother.Thistranscategoricalknowledge,whichsupposesatheoryof

modeofactivity,ofaregimeof operation;itleavesasidetheproblemof theatemporalnatureofbeingsandof

themodesofthereal;itappliestotheirfunctionings;ittendstowardsaphenomenologyofregimesof activity,

withoutanontologicalpresuppositionthatisrelativetothenatureofthatwhichentersintoactivity.Eachof the

schemasappliesonlytocertainregimesof eachregion,butitcaninprincipleapplytoanyregimeofanyregion.


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GILBERT SIMONDON

Theapplicationof such schemasof intelligibilityrequirestwomainconditions,whichcanbe presentedas

1.Thesubsetsarerelativelydetachablefromthewholeof whichtheyareapart.Whattechnicalactivityproduces

isnotanabsolutelyindivisibleorganismthatismetaphysicallyoneandindissoluble.Thetechnicalobjectcan

berepaired;itcanbecompleted;asimpleanalogybetweenthetechnicalobjectandthelivingisfallacious,in

thesensethat,atthemomentof itsveryconstruction,thetechnicalobjectisconceivedassomethingthatmay

Anglo-Saxonterm.

Thispostulateisextremelyimportantwhenonequestionsthewayinwhichonecanengagewithalivingbeing,

ahumanbeing,or aninstitution.Theholisticpostulate,whichis oftenpresentedasanattitudeof respect

wholesale,becauseitisawhole,isperhapstoavoidadoptingtowardsitthemoregenerousattitude:namely,that

moraljudgmentandof justice.Thedistinctionof thesubsetsandof themodesof theirrelativesolidaritywould

6

2.Thesecondpostulateisthatof thelevelsandtheregimes:if onewantstounderstandabeingcompletely,

onemuststudyitbyconsideringitinitsentelechy,andnotinitsinactivityoritsstaticstate.

Themajorityof technical realities aresubject tothe existenceof a threshold tostartup andtomaintain

their own functioning; abovethis threshold,theyareabsurd, self-destructive;below it,theyare self-stable.

byreducingthenumberof primitiveelementstoaminimum,whichisatthesametimeanoptimum.7

Suchisthecase,forexample,withthestato-reactorof Leduc:ontheground,itismerelyanabsurdstructure,

incapableof providingapush inadeterminatedirection:butstartingfromacertainspeedof movement,itbecomescapableof maintainingitsspeed--inotherwords,itspushingforward--andof furnishingausable

energyofmovement.

TheGUIMBALgroup--whichisheldentirelyintheforcedconductofadam--originallyseemedabsurd.The

alternatorisof suchsmalldimensionsthatitseemsthatthearmaturemustbedestroyedbytheJouleeffect.But

ontheturbineaxisitself.Thisensuresacoolingthathasaconsiderablygreatereffectthanthatof analternator

heightens theisolationandimprovesthe thermal exchanges,all thewhileensuringthe lubrication of the

differentlevelsandpreventingwaterfromcomingin:here,themultifunctionalcharacterof theoilof thecasing

Analogically,itispossibletoanticipatetheexistence,withindifferentordersof reality,of certaineffects(usedhere

thresholdstobecrossed.Theseeffectsarenotstructures;theyaredifferentfromthesestructuresinthattheyrequirethethresholdtobe crossed.Aninternalcombustionenginethatis turnedoff is inastablestateand

cannotturnitself on; itneedsacertainamountof energycomingfromoutside,itneeds toreceiveacertain

angularspeedinordertoreachthethresholdofself-maintenance,thethresholdbeyondwhichitfunctionsas

aregimeof automatism,witheachphaseofthecyclepreparingtheconditionsof completionforthefollowing

phase.


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TECHNICAL MENTALITY

Fromthesefewobservations,wecanconcludethatthetechnicalmentalityalreadyofferscoherentandusable

schemasforacognitiveinterpretation.WiththeCartesianmechanismandcybernetics,ithasalreadyyieldedtwomovementsof thought;butinthecasewhenthereisanawarenessof thesystematicuseofthetwopostulates

presentedabove,italsoappearstobecapableof contributingtotheformationof largerschemas.

II.AFFECTIVEMODALITIES

encountersanantagonismbetweentheartisanalandtheindustrialmodalities,anantagonismthatispairedto

animpossibilityof completelyseparatingthese twoaspects.Thecraftsmansnostalgiatraversesnotonlythe

industriallifeof production,butalsothedifferentdailyregimesof theconsumptionofgoodscomingfromthe

industrialworld.

andtheindustrialmodalitywhenonewantstoaccountforthegenesisof affectivemodalities.However,wewill

proposeacriterionthat,afterseveralattempts,seemedtobetheleastproblematic:inthecaseof thecraftsman,allconditionsdependonthehumanbeing,andthesourceof energyisthesameasthatof information.The

twosourcesarebothinthehumanoperator;there,energyisliketheavailabilityof thegesture,theexerciseof

muscularforce;informationsimultaneouslyresidesinthehumanoperatorassomethinglearned,drawnfrom

theindividualpastenrichedbyeducation,andastheactualexerciseofthesensorialequipmentthatcontrols

andregulatestheapplicationof thelearnedgesturestotheconcretematerialityof theworkablematerialandto

theparticularcharacteristicsof theaim[of thework].Themanipulationiscarriedoutaccordingtocontinuous

schemasonrealitiesthatareof thesamescaleastheoperator.Correlatively,thedistancebetweentheactof

workingandtheconditionsof useof theproductof theworkisweak:theshoemakerhasdirectlytakenthe

measurements,thesaddlerknowsforwhichhorseheisworking;recurrenceispossible:thespeedwithwhich

theobjectwearsoff,thetypesof thedeformationof theproductduringusageareknowntothecraftsman,who

doesnotonlyconstructbutalsorepairs.

Moreover, inthe caseof thecraftsmanthe relation betweentheHumanBeingandNature is immediate,

becauseitliesin thechoiceof thematerialsandof theworkthatisdoneonthem.In theartisanalmodality,

remainclosetothenaturalstate,likeleatherorwood.Artisanalworkisgenerallynotprecededbyacomplete

transformationoftheseprimarymaterials.Thelatterwouldrequiretheinvestmentofsourcesof energytaken

fromoutsideof thehumanbody.Inthissense,suchatransformationcomes--eveninthepre-industrialstate-

-fromanindustrialschema,namelythatof metallurgy,whichisindustrialthroughthetransformationof the

mineralintometal,evenif itremainsartisanalbecauseofthewayitproducesobjects.

Theindustrialmodalityappearswhenthe sourceof informationandthesourceof energyseparate,namely

whentheHumanBeingismerelythesourceof information,andNatureisrequiredtofurnishtheenergy.The

machineisdifferentfromthetoolinthatitisarelay:ithastwodifferententrypoints,thatof energyandthat

of information.Thefabricatedproductthatityieldsistheeffectofthemodulationofthisenergythroughthis

information,theeffectthatispracticedonaworkablematerial.Inthecaseof thetool,whichishandheld,the

entryofenergyandtheentryofinformationaremixed,orattheveryleastpartiallysuperimposed.Ofcourse,

onecanguidethechiselofthesculptorwithonehand,andpushitwiththeother,butitisthesamebodythat

fromthematerialandforthesetaim.Thepotterswork,whichismovedbyhisfeet,isstillof thesamekind,

butitallowsonetoanticipatethebirthof themachine.Glass-makingisartisanalinsofarastheglass-maker

furnishestheenergythatdilatestheinitialbubblebyblowing,andinsofarasheregulatesthroughtherhythm

of hisblowingthespeedof theplasticdeformationof theglass.Butitbecomesindustrialwhentheenergyis

borrowedfromacompressor.


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GILBERT SIMONDON

possessaconsiderablepower.Foritispossibletosetupaseriesof relays,whichmeansthataweakenergycanleadtotheusageof considerableenergies.8

Unfortunately,the entryof informationthatcomesintotheworkisnolongeruniqueinthewayitiswiththe

knowledgeandthegatheringof alargenumberof humanbeings.Ithappensasecondtimewiththeconstruction

of themachineandtheregulationof themachine,whicharemodesof activitythataredifferentfromthe

andtheninthemachinesusage.Whereasthemachineconstitutesacompletetechnicalschema,astherelation

of natureandtheHumanBeing,astheencounterof aninformationandanenergyoperatingonamaterial,

noneofthefourmomentsofinformationcontributionisorganicallylinkedtoandbalancedoutbytheothers.

Theactof informationcontributionbecomesdissociated,itis explodedintoseparatemomentstakenonby

andcomplicationof theindustrialworldistospreadoutthedifferentrolesfromeachother:notonlythesource

of informationfromthesourceofenergyandthesourceof primarymaterial,buteventhedifferenttasksof

informationcontribution.Itisthusaweakerpartofthetotalcapacitiesof thehumanbeingthatisengagedin

theindustrialact,bothwhens/heisoperatorandintheotherrolesofinformationcontribution.Theiterative

9that

provokesdifferenteffectsof industrialfatigue.Butitisalsoexhaustingtohaveonlyinventionasatask,without

atthedimensionof themachinesenergyentry,theinformationentrycomplicatesitself,becomesdividedand

10butalsofromhimself,and

enclosedinpiecemealtasks,evenasinventor.Hethusencountersthediscontinuousthroughwork.

However,tryingtoreturntodirectlyartisanalmodesof productionisanillusion.Theneedsof contemporary

societiesrequirenotonlylargequantitiesofproductsandmanufacturedobjects,butalsostatesthatcannotbeobtainedbymeansof thehumanbodyandbythe tool.Thisis becausethetemperatures,thepressures,the

requiredphysicalreactions,thescaleof theconditionsdonotmatchthoseof humanlife.Theworkplace,on

theotherhand,isahumanenvironment.

Itisinthisveryemphasisonindustrialproduction,inthedeepeningof itscharacteristicsthatanovercomingof

theantithesisbetweentheartisanalmodalityandtheindustrialonecanbestudiedwithagreaterlikelihoodof

III.VOLUNTARYACTION:ASTUDYOFNORMS

Butwemust cutshorthere theconsiderationof theaffectivemodalities inorder toinvestigatenorms of

voluntary action,and thus tocompletethis construction of the technicalmentality. Indeed, thetechnical

mentalitycanbedeveloped into schemesof actionand into values, tothepointof yieldingamorality in

humanenvironmentsthatareentirelydedicatedtoindustrialproduction.Butinsofarastheseenvironments

technicians,workers--,theycannotelaborateavaluecodethatiscapableofbecominguniversal,becausethey


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TECHNICAL MENTALITY

ametaltoweroranimmensebridgeundoubtedlymeansmakingapioneerworkandshowinghowindustrial

powercanleavethefactoryinordertogaininnature,butthereissomethingof theisolationof theinventorthatsubsistsinthisactivityinsofarasthetowerorthebridgedonotbecomepartof anetworkcoveringtheEarthin

andtheGarabitviaductmustbeconsideredasthearrivalof theendof theindustrialconcentrationaround

sourcesofenergyorprimarymaterialsources,thatistosaynotasspectacularlyisolatedcentersandsuccesses,

factory,andonlyassembledonsite,withoutasingle correction,hasnowbecomethecarrierof antennae;it

interconnectswithhundredsof pylons,masts,andstationsbywhichEuropewillbecovered.Itbecomespartof

thismultifunctionalnetworkthatmarksthekeypointsof thegeographicalandhumanworld.11

alikethatallowsforthecreationof networks.Whenoneputsrailroadtracksoverhundredsof kilometers,when

onerollsoff acablefromcitytocityandsometimesfromcontinenttocontinent,itistheindustrialmodality

thattakesleavefromtheindustrialcenterinordertoextenditself throughnature.Itisnotaquestionhereof

therapeof natureorof thevictoryof theHumanBeingovertheelements,becauseinfactitisthenaturalstructuresthemselvesthatserveastheattachmentpointforthenetworkthatisbeingdeveloped:therelaypoints

seas.

Here,thetechnicalmentalitysuccessfullycompletesitself andrejoinsnaturebyturningitself intoathought-

network, into thematerial andconceptual synthesis of particularity and concentration, individuality and

woventogetherwiththoseof theworld,intheconcreteandtheparticular.

Thecaseof informationnetworksissotospeakanidealcasewherethesuccessisvirtuallycomplete,because

hereenergyandinformationareunitedagainafterhavingbeenseparatedintheindustrialphase.Atthesame

time,theassemblagesandthesubstructuresof theindustrialgigantismreturninamoremanageableway,ina

lighterform:electronicsandtelecommunicationsusereducedtonnages,moderateenergies,dimensionsthatare

notcrushing.Thefactoryrediscoverssomethingof theworkplacewhenitistransformedintoalaboratory.Itisnolongerfortheindividualuser,asintheartisanalmodality,butforthesimultaneouslycollectiveandindividual

usernatureitself12thatthelaboratoryanticipatesamade-to-measureassemblage.Suchlinesof pylons,such

achainofrelaysconstitutestheharnessof nature.Onlythefabricationof separatepiecesremainsindustrial.At

thesametime,thedistancebetweentheinventor,theconstructor,andtheoperatorisreduced:thethreetypes

convergetowardstheimageof thetechnician,thistimebothintellectualandhandy,whoknowsatthesame

timehowtocalculateandhowtoinstallacabling.

Veryclosetothecaseof informationnetworksis thatof networksof energydistribution:electricenergyisat

productivity.Avibrator,whichisamotor,canbelocatedinthepointof atoolaslightasapencilandfeedon

thenetwork.Ahumanbeingcaneasilymanipulatewithonesinglehanda1/3horsepowerengine.Thisenergy

can,attheverymomentof usage,entirelybemodulatedbyaninformationof whichitbecomesthe faithful

thealternativenetworktomakefunction(asthesourceof energy)awatchwhoseworkingsitregulatesascarrier

Communicationandtransportationnetworks are,bycontrast,lesspure.Theydonotsucceedtorevealthemselvesin

theirtruefunction,andthetechnicalmentalitydoesnotsucceedtomakeitself heardinanypreponderantway,

becauseunlikeinformationorenergynetworks,theyarenotentirelynewandwithoutfunctionalantecedents.


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Therailroadenjoyedaprivilegedsituationbecauseitwasrelativelyclearlydistinctfromtheroad,whichmeant

thatitcoulddevelopinanalmostautonomousway.In thecaseof theseothernetworks,however,the socialbeginstomanifestitself intheformof obsolescence,thekindof disusethatislinkedtotheagingof convention

andthetransformationof socialhabitsratherthanawearingoff oralossof functionalityof thetechnical

object.Awagonwithmerchandiseoratenderof alocomotiveageslessquicklythanapassengercar,withits

ornamentsandinscriptions:theonethatismostoverloadedwithinessentialornamentsistheonethatgoesout

of fashionthemostquickly.

Butitisinthetechnicalobjectssuitedfortheroadnetworkthattheresistanceopposedtothedevelopmentof

thetechnicalmentalityistheclearest:obsolescencehitsthepassengercarmuchfasterthantheutilityvehicle

ortheagriculturaltractor,whichneverthelessareitsclosecousinsthecaragesfasterthantheplane,whereas

theplanehastechnicallygonethroughmoreimportanttransformationsthanthecar.Thisisbecausetheplane

ismadefortherunwayandfortheair.Itisnecessarilya networkrealitybeforebeingaseparateobject. 13The

carisnotonlyconceivedasanetworkrealityliketrucksbutasasocialobject,anitemof clothinginwhich

theuserpresentshimself.Itthusreceivescharacteristicsliketheonesoneusedtowearon clothesandthat

overburdenedthemwithlaceandembroideriesthesescurf-likeornamentsof psychosociallifehere,theybecomepaint,chrome,antennae.Thesocialimportancecanalsoexpressitself throughmass,volume,andthe

Tobringabouttheproductionofthetechnicalmentalityinthedomainofvoluntarychoice,onecouldtryto

applythecategoriesof acommonethicsof therelationbetweenhumanbeings,forexamplethecategoryof

sincerity:acardeterioratesquicklybecauseitwasmadetobeseenratherthantobeused;thespacetakenup

bythewidthof thedoorsisnotprotectedagainstrust;theundersideisnottreatedaccordingtotheprinciples

Buttheessentialisnotthere,andtheintroductionof adualistmoralsystemof goodandevil,of thehidden

cognitiveschemasthathavealreadybeendrawnout,andaskoneself howtheycanrespondtothe exigency

manifestedbythepressingincoherenceof theaffectivemodalities.

of obsolescencethathashitthepopulationofproducedobjects,istheabsenceof anindustrialdeepeningof

production.

Acarbecomesobsoleteveryfastbecauseitisnotoneandthesameactof invention,construction,andproduction

thatsimultaneouslymakesappeartheroadnetworkandthecars.Betweenthenetwork--thisfunctionalharness

of thegeographicalworldandthe cars that traverse thisnetwork, thehuman being insertshimself asa

virtualbuyer:acaronlycomestofunctionif itisbought,if itischosen,afterithasbeenproduced.Thereis

arecurrencethatcomesintoplayonthebasisof thismediation:theconstructor,whohastoproduceserially,

needstocalculatethepossibilitiesof sales;hemustnotonlysimultaneouslyconstructthenetworkandthecars,

buthealsohastoanticipatethissalesoption.Inordertobevaluable,acarmustbeboughtafterhavingbeen

constructed,liketheRomanchildwhowasputintotheworldbythemotherbutwasonlyadmittedtolifeafter

elevatio.Onecouldalsocomparethisalienatedconditionof theproducedobjectin thesituationof venality

tothatof a slaveonthemarketinAntiquity,orto thatof a womanina situationof socialinferiority:the

introductiontoactiveexistencehappensthroughmeansthatareinadequatetotherealfunctions.Ittakesplace

againstentelechyandthuscreatesaduality,aprevalenceoftheinessential,adistortionoftruenature:choice

Intheinessentialsituationof thebuyerwhoisneithera constructornorauserinactthehumanbeing

whochooses,introducesintohischoiceabundleof non-technicalnorms.Itistheanticipation,intheproject

of production,of theplayof thesenormsthatcreatesthemixedcharacterof thevenalityof theindustrial

product,andthatisthemainsourceof obsolescence.Thedistancebetweentheactof productionandtheactof


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usage,thislackof realinformationallowsfortheintroductionof theinessential,whichcreatesobsolescence.

Becauseitisjudgedonceandforall,acceptedorrejectedinfullinthedecisionortherefusaltobuy,theobject

sociallyproduced:itallowsforneithertheexercisenorthedevelopmentofthetechnicalmentalityatthelevel

of voluntarydecisionsandnormsofaction.

Buthowisitpossibletopasstoastructureof theobjectthatwouldallowonetodrawoutthetechnicalmentality?

characterof social burdens,whichexpresses itself throughhypertelicdevelopmentsordevelopmentsthatin

travel--slowlytendstowardstherecruitmentof lonely,idleones;thecargoshipismorepure.Thisproliferation

growsbiggerandheavier.Buttheessentialliesinthis:inorderforanobjecttoallowforthedevelopmentof the

technicalmentalityandtobechosenbyit,theobjectitselfneedstobeof areticularstructure.Ifoneimagines

anobjectthat,insteadof beingclosed,offerspartsthatareconceivedasbeingascloseto indestructibleas

possible,andothersbycontrastinwhichtherewouldbeconcentratedaveryhighcapacitytoadjusttoeachusage,orwear,orpossiblebreakageincaseofshock,of malfunctioning,thenoneobtainsanopenobjectthatcan

becompleted,improved,maintainedinthestateofperpetualactuality.Anelectricmachinethatisnotprovided

withanorganof protection,whethera fuseoracircuitbreaker,is onlyin appearancemoresimplethana

protectedmachine.Whenthere isanoverload,thesystemof protectionkicksin, andthemachinebecomes

absolutelycomparabletowhatitwasbeforetheaccident,oncethesystemof protectionhasbeenreturnedto

thatonereplacesinamachine.Thisisthekeypoint:thepostindustrialtechnicalobjectistheunityof two

layersof reality:alayerthatisasstableandpermanentaspossible,whichadherestotheuserandismadeto

last;anda layerthatcanbeperpetuallyreplaced,changed,renewed,becauseitismadeupof elementsthat

areall similar,impersonal,mass-producedbyindustryanddistributedbyall thenetworksof exchange.Itis

throughparticipationtothisnetworkthatthetechnicalobjectalwaysremainscontemporarytoitsuse,always

new.However,thisconservationinastateof fullactualityispreciselymadepossiblethroughthestructuresthat

thecognitiveschemasprovide:theobjectneedstoheavethresholdsoffunctioningthatareknown,measured,

thresholdsof functioningexpresses itself in thedifferencebetweenrelativelyseparatesubsets[of thewhole]:the

intherelationofthresholdsof functioning.

Inconclusion,onecansaythatthetechnicalmentalityisdeveloping,butthatthisformationhasarelationof

causalitythatrecurswiththeveryappearanceof post-industrialtechnicalrealities:itmakesexplicitthenature

of theserealitiesandtendstofurnishthemwithnormstoensuretheirdevelopment.Suchamentalitycanonly

developif theaffectiveantinomyof the oppositionbetween theartisanalmodalityand theindustrialone is

postindustrialandthusrecoveracontinuouslevel[of operation].

If one seeksthe signof the perfectionof the technicalmentality, one can unite ina single criterion the

manifestationof cognitiveschemas,affectivemodalities,andnormsof action:thatof theopening;technical

reality lends itself remarkablywell to being continued, completed, perfected, extended. In this sense, an

extensionof thetechnicalmentalityispossible,andbeginstomanifestitself inthedomainof theFineArts

inparticular.Toconstructabuildingaccordingto thenorms of thetechnicalmentalitymeanstoconceive

monasteryisabeautifulexampleof thecontributionof thetechnicalmentalityin architecture:it includes


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GILBERT SIMONDON

withinitsplanitsproperlineof extension,forafurtherenlargement.Andthisispossiblenotonlybecauseof

thearchitecturalconceptionofthewhole,butalsobecauseof thespiritof pairingdownthatmanifestsitself inthechoiceof formsandtheuseof materials:itwillbepossible,withoutanybreakbetweentheoldandthe

new,tostilluseconcrete,shuttering,iron,cables,andthetubulatureof longcorridors.Thenon-dissimulation

of means,thispolitenessof architecturetowardsitsmaterialswhichtranslatesitself byaconstanttechnophany,

amountstoarefusalof obsolescenceandtotheproductivediscoveryamongstsensiblespeciesof thepermanent

availabilityoftheindustrialmaterialasthefoundationforthecontinuityof thework

ARNEDEBOEVERisamemberof theeditorialboardof Parrhesia.


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NOTES

1.[ThisunpublishedtextbySimondonwasgiventousbyhissonMichel,towhosememorythispublicationisdedicated.

J.-H.BarthlmyandVincentBontems.]

2.[Thistextinitiallyappearedin:Barthlmy,Jean-HuguesandVincentBontems,eds.GilbertSimondon.Revuephilosophique3

(2006).Paris,P.U.F.,343-357.ThetranslatorwouldliketothankJean-HuguesBarthlmyforbringingthistextto Parrhesias

Trans.]

3.[W]hichhasbeenrichinschemesof plasticityandof phasechanges,reversibleorirreversible.Thesecomewithoutadoubt

fromtheartisanaltechniquesof preparation,theshapingandbakingof theclay.Theseschemesof ontogenesis,coming

fromanoperationentirelypossessedbythehumanbeing,anoperationthatiscontinuous,progressive,andconformwiththe

humanbeingsscale,haveencounteredotherschemes,themselvesalsoontogenetic,butincludingtheencounterofopposed

andqualitativelyantagonistprinciplesthatarespatiallyandgeographicallydistinct,andof adimensionthatrendersthem

transcendentinrelationtothehumanbeing:theearthandtheheavens,thehotandthecold,thedryandthehumid.Inorderfor

thesetworealitiestoencountereachother,theyhavetobeatthesamescale.Thenaturephilosophyof Antiquitycomesfromthe

encounterof theartisanalandthemagicalschemesof genesis,of theschemesof continuityandtheschemesof discontinuity.

Agricultureandnurseryareindeed industriesandcraftsmanships,whenthehumanbeingdoesnotholdthepossessionof

theirmeansinhand.

4.[TheFrenchtextispresentedinthesameway,withthesentenceconsistingofarelativepropositionthataddsanexample

totheprevioussentence.J.-H.Barthlmy.]

5.[ThiscontradictoryexpressionisusedbySimondontorefertothe overcomingof theclassicaloppositions(whichiswhathisentire

bySimondonisof fundamentalimportancehere,and itsrelationto thepreviousparagraph,whichdiscussedcybernetics,

Lindividuationlalumiredesnotionsdeformeet dinformation[Individuationinlightof

thenotionsof formandinformation].Paris:J.Millon,2005,561).Oneshouldthereforebe carefulnotto reduceSimondons

insistsonwhattheendoftheparagraphunderdiscussionherewillsaymoreprecisely:thetheoryof operationsisrelatively

independentfromtheontologicaldomainsof being.J.-H.Barthlmy.]

hasconsistedinstudyingthebehaviorof cellssubjecttovibrationsandconstraintsofinternalsuppression,soastodetermine

Notredestineetnosinstincts [OurDestinyandOurInstincts]that

because,startingfromthisinitialphaseof his life,onewouldconsiderhimas constructed,as composedof differentlayers

homogenouswhole.Thisishowracismandxenophobiaareproduced.

Dumodedexistencedesobjets

techniques.[OntheModeof ExistenceofTechnicalObjects.]Paris:Aubier,1958(withseveralneweditionssince).Simondon

8.Inacertainsense,agriculture,nursing,navigationwithsailsaremoreindustrialthanartisanal,totheextentthatthey

appealtoforcesthatdonotdependonthehumanbeing,andthatcomefromarealityofwhichthescalesurpassesthescaleofthat

whichcanbemanipulated.Theseoperationsintroducethediscontinuoustothesameextent;theyare,eventually,alienating,

andcangiverisetoamagico-religiousexerciseof thought.Indeed,theycommodulatethehumanoperationof preparationandthecosmological

action.Humanworkremainswithoutresults,aftertheseedshavebeensownortheshiphasbeenconstructed,if thecosmicact


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GILBERT SIMONDON

9.[Thisisacitationof thetitleof aworkbyGeorgesFriedmann:Letravailenmiettes

intoEnglishbyWyattRawsonas Anatomyof Work:Labor,Leisure,andtheImplicationsof Automation.NewYork:FreePressof Glencoe,1962Trans.].InDumodedexistencedesobjetstechniques[OntheModeofExistenceofTechnicalObjects],in1958,

worldof machinescapitalistaswellascommunist. Thegeniusof Simondonwastoshowthatthesolutionisnottocondemn

beingfromitsstatusasasimpleassistant.Ofcourse,theproblemofunemploymentthatwillbesparkedbythissimultaneous

liberationof thehumanbeingand themachinemeansthat suchaprogresswould infactonlybepossiblewithinanother

economicsystem,towhichecologicalrisks,thecurrenteconomiccrisis,andalsosoontechnicaladvancesthemselvesfor

example,thereplacementof the humanbeingsworkingas supermarketcashiersbymachineswillforciblyleadus.J-H.

Barthlmy.]

10.Industryisolatesthehumanbeingfromnaturebecauseittakeschargeof therelationhumanbeing-nature:itis,indeed,

thetranscendenceof thedimensionandthecharacterof discontinuity,of irreversibility.

Du modedexistencedes objets techniques [On

thisprimitiveunityintothe technicalandthe religious

thistimewithrespecttothetechnicalworlditself,itisbecausewiththetwentiethcentury,thereemerges anewunitywhichwill

datesfrom1968,evenfrom1958:Simondonwasinthisrespectatruevisionary.J.-H.Barthlmy.]

12.[ItmayseemstrangethatSimondonconsidersnatureitself tobe auser of techniques.The rest of theparagraph

useof techniquesremainshuman

to-measureassemblage.Thelatterwouldthenbeafalsepointof commonalitywiththeworkmenforinthe lattercase,

user.ThisiswhytherealreasonforSimondonspropositionlieselsewhere,namelyin

anextensionwhichisabsentin thiscasebutpresentinother textsofwhatwassaidatthesametime

networkasunityof thehumanbeingandof natureand

inthe technicalwholethattheatechnicalrealitywhicheffectivelyaims,throughtheinstrumentof knowledgeastechnicalrelationof thehumanbeingtonature,to

enablethenaturethatisinthehumanbeing

Dumodedexistencedesobjets

techniques[OntheModeof Existenceof TechnicalObjects],247-249,aswellasthelastchapterof Lindividuationpsychiqueet

collective(forthcomingasPsychicandCollectiveIndividuationwiththeUofMinnesotaP).J.-H.Barthlmy.]

13.[Thisstatusof theplanecanbe compared towhatHeideggersaysof thecommercialplanein hisfamous seminar

Hildesheim:Olms,2006.117-132).J.-H.Barthlmy.]

technical mentality

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