The New Ontologies Workshop took place between 29-30 October 2010 at Reed Hall, University of Exeter, with the support of the Gulbenkian Foundation
List of Participants:
Alice Barnaby -- Exeter, english & EII, university of plymouth
Andrew Barry -- Oxford, geography
Mario Biagioli -- UC Davis, history of science, STS
Georgina Born -- Cambridge, sociology, anthropology and music
Richard Brown -- Edinburgh, artist
João Caraça -- Gulbenkian Foundation
Peter Cariani -- Harvard, neurophysiology, self-organisation, cybernetics
António Carvalho -- Exeter, sociology, STS, meditation and the nonmodern self
Giovanna Colombetti -- Exeter, philosophy, emotions, embodied/enactive mind
Laura Cull -- Northumbria University, performing arts & philosophy
Tia DeNora -- Exeter, sociology, music
Robin Durie -- Exeter, politics, time & emergence, Bergson, Deleuze
Regenia Gagnier -- Exeter, english and EII, interdisciplinarity
Steve Hinchliffe -- Exeter, geography
Natalie Jeremijenko -- NYU, artist, STS
Mark Paterson -- Exeter, geography
Simon Penny -- co-organiser -- UC Irvine, arts, computing, engineering
Andrew Pickering -- Exeter, STS
Chris Salter -- Concordia, Montreal, artist
Chris Welsby -- co-organiser -- Simon Fraser, Vancouver, expanded cinema, film, video
Gisa Weszkalnys -- Exeter, sociology, interdisciplinarity
Steve Hughes -- Exeter, biology & egenis, science & art
Workshop Program
Friday 29 October
10-12 am -- session I
Chair -- Andy Pickering
Ontology—similarities and differences. The focus of the meeting is on a distinctive and unconventional nonmodern ontology as a key nexus for the reconfiguration of the disciplines. In particular, projects juxtaposed in the workshop share a decentred and emergent image of how the world is, a vision of people and things as lively and unpredictable, co-evolving in relation to one another. But unity at this very general level does not preclude specific differences, and conversations amongst philosophers, natural and social scientists and artists can serve to bring these to the fore. This is something to be desired, not regretted. Ontological variations can themselves be stimuli for fresh thought and practice.
1-3 pm -- session II
Chair -- Steve Hughes
artists’ presentations & discussion:—
Simon Penny
Chris Welsby
Chris Salter
3:30-5:30 pm -- session III
Chair -- Simon Penny
The politics of ontology. One can argue that ontology and politics hang together. Different ontological visions both encourage and sustain systematically different ways of going on in the world. (Heidegger’s discussion of ‘enframing’ would be one example of how to think about this.) This workshop will provide a congenial venue for productive discussions about the politics of ontology within a sympathetic but by no means homogeneous group.
saturday 30 october
10-12 am -- session IV
Chair -- Regenia Gagnier
Disciplinary interference. The ontological shift at issue here provokes significant frictions with established forms of knowledge and academic structures. This is one reason for seeking to create a new community and organisational space. In this respect, the workshop will help to foster a significant pool of expertise. We could collectively become clearer and more self-conscious about the sorts of frictions that arise and why. Such discussions might make it clearer how to design (and support) an inter- or antidisciplinary institute or to envisage some alternative organisational form.
1-3 pm -- session V
Chair -- Tia DeNora
artists’ presentations & discussion:—
Richard Brown
Laura Cull
3:30-5:30 pm -- session VI
Chair -- Chris Welsby
Productive intersections. The aim of the series is to begin to cement a new community of practice. Exploration of ontological similarities and differences can provoke new and interconnected initiatives and projects. One might, for example, try to read specific artworks back into social theory, as striking exemplifications of the sorts of human-nonhuman couplings and becomings that the social sciences need to grapple with but have so far largely ignored. Another project would be to try to clarify the ontological visions conjured up in art. Overall, the workshop should constitute an open invitation for collaborations across the art/science/philosophy divides.
Since your OS may create some conflicts with that website, you can download the files from an alternative location:
New Ontologies I
New Ontologies II
New Ontologies III
New Ontologies IV
New Ontologies V
New Ontologies VI
