Writings

Kurzbeschreibung

Vilém Flusser (1920 - 1991), Prague-born philosopher, is one of the most fascinating and original European thinkers of the last decades. His posthumanist philosophy of communication embraces and theorizes the cultural shift toward visual codes. The media theory developed by Flusser leaves traditional cultural and political categories behind and eloquently proposes a new kind of humanism based on technology. This provocative approach, however, is deeply rooted in the judaeo-christian idea of recognizing the other in an act of self-determination and self-realization. Using mostly phenomenological techniques, Flusser analyses our various means and modes of communication. The motif of being thrown into an abyss of absurd experience ("bottomlessness"), and turning this devastating and painful experience into the liberating task of creating meaning by consciously connecting with self-chosen partners, is central to Flusser´s project of "becoming human".

Flusser became one of the most inspiring postmodern theorists in Europe. However, his ability to grasp the ambivalent potential of the postmodern set him apart from other contemporary thinkers. His greatest following came from young intellectual artists and artistically-oriented intellectuals in the German-speaking countries. Flusser´s concept of post-history differs widely from anything brought forward by other scholars. It derives from a shift of paradigms in the codes we communicate with. While elitist communication trades in writing for algorithms, mass communication today favors technical images over verbal language. In a brilliant and convincing analysis, Flusser explains how and why history is turning into a (TV) program.

Inspite of the considerable impact Flusser has had in Central and Western Europe, practically none of his texts have been published in English so far. Therefore, Flusser is still widely unknown in North America.

This first English-language anthology of writings of Vilém Flusser will find its main audience among students and teachers of philosophy, art, design, history and media sciences.

KünstlerInnen / AutorInnen

• Vilém Flusser, philosopher

MitarbeiterInnen

• Andreas Ströhl, editor

Entstehung

Vereinigte Staaten, 2002

Partner / Sponsoren

University of Minnesota Press
Inter Nationes
Edith Flusser
Flusser Archiv
European Photography

Kommentar

Anybody who is interested in the thoughts of Vilém Flusser - or related or similar ones ...

Eingabe des Beitrags

Andreas Ströhl, 29.04.2002

Kategorie

• Kulturprojekt

Schlagworte

• Themen:
  • Repräsentation |
  • Kommunikation |
  • Informationsarchitektur |
  • nonlineare Narration |
  • Globalisierung |
  • Community |
  • Medientheorie |
  • Interaktivität |
  • Architektur |
  • Kulturvermittlung |
  • Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion HCI |
  • Informationsdesign |
  • Urbaner Raum |
  • öffentlicher Raum |
  • Identität |
  • Internet |
  • Geschichte |
  • Cultural Studies |
  • Telepräsenz
• Formate:
  • Text

Ergänzungen zur Schlagwortliste

• bottomlessness, entropy, humanizations