Wolfgang Schirmacher - Seminars / Workshops / Lectures
THE SECOND NEGATION: Hegel in Contemporary Thought (2 Credits)
Wolfgang Schirmacher, Ph.D.
Description: In the history of Western philosophy the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel is considered the best and the last of thinkers who attempted a comprehensive metaphysical system that understood the world as a whole transparent to thinking. Hegel claimed his dialectical method had the power to overcome the dualistic structure and humble self-restriction of reason Immanuel Kant had prescript for science and ethics. In contrast to Kant and nearly all the philosophers until today Hegel insisted that only the whole is the truth and that dialectics enables us to bring forward ‘the thing in itself”, not just the thing-in-itself for us, in perspectives (Nietzsche), variations (Husserl), potentialities (Agamben), in parallax view (Zizek). Such claim of an ‘absolute idea’, combined with an eschatological faith, seemed totally unfounded and the worst anthropocentric philosophy possible. So Hegel became a ghost and his philosophy was ridiculed when Arthur Schopenhauer’s grim analysis of the world as suffering took over and found in Friedrich Nietzsche his active-nihilistic companion. But Hegel never disappeared but rather went underground, and in Karl Marx, arguably the most influential of all philosophers, Hegel’s dialectics provided a global case study. Neither Marx nor Hegel had any interest in prolonging philosophy as intellectual game without practical consequences, and a fulfilled philosophy as lived life is the sole attractor of the Second Negation for both thinkers. After the bankruptcy of ‘real existing socialism’ and bureaucratic ‘scientific communism’ the Hegelian dialectics becomes visible again. The thinker who invented history as a meaningful timeline comes to us from the future and it is his time: after the radical self-criticism of the last 150 years since Schopenhauer’s death we desperately need the encouragement Hegel provides in his understanding of Becoming and the New. Adorno, Agamben, Benjamin, Bloch, Bataille, Butler, Baudrillard, Deleuze, Foucault, Hardt, Lyotard, Levinas, Nancy, Ronell, Virilio, Whitehead, Wittgenstein, Zizek are at core process philosophers in Hegel’s tradition, more than ready, as Derrida was, for the “Messiah without Messianism”. It was Martin Heidegger who welcomed in the language of Hegel’s co-thinker, the poet Friedrich Hoelderlin, the Second Negation: “Nur ein Gott kann uns retten” (only a god can save us) – in Heidegger’s interview with the German news journal “Der Spiegel”, only to be published after his death (1976). Let the god come to 7th Street!
Objectives: You might not be aware but Wolfgang became internationally know first as a Hegel scholar, delivering papers in the biannual International Hegel Congresses where the leading Marxist and – as a minority – Western philosophers used to meet for lively fights. Once in Lisboa, shortly after the ‘cloves revolution’, a government minister was a co-presenter, and nearly always the philosophers from the Soviet Academy of Sciences attended Wolfgang's lectures of which German newspapers took note. “The Concept of Science in Hegel’s ‘Logic of Science’” was the ambitious title of his first paper (Anver 1972) and his last presentation was a key note lecture on “Hegel and Schopenhauer on the Threshold of Artificial Life” (Budapest 1994), where Wolfgang was cordially invited by the Hungarian organizers as Schopenhauer president. This Workshop will provide a chance to find out how Hegel is coming back and his impact on contemporary philosophy.
Schedule:
Module One: Who is Hegel? How does dialectics work?
For this session we need your memory/ recordings of the endings in the classes and evening lectures of the Saas-Fee professors. The point of their departures into the Unknown, Savings, Turning, Metanoia, Common, Testing, transevaluation …
Module Two: The Second Negation as Ereignis
It gives, fidelity, aletheia, impossibility, faith, Uebermensch, chiasmatic unity…
Module Three: Hegel’s “state”: How to do what can’t be done
Required Reading:
Hegel, Georg and A. V. Miller (Translator) and J. N. Findlay (Foreword). Phenomenology of Spirit. Oxford University Press. February 1, 1979. Paperback, 59 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0198245971. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
MEDIA CULTURE & ARTIFICIAL LIFE: Techno Culture and Virtual Identity (3 Credits)
Wolfgang Schirmacher, Ph.D.
Description: This course examines the relationship between media culture and artificial life. We will take a critical approach to discussions of media culture. We will examine the art of life and the culture of virtuality attempting to uncover and work with ‘homo generator’. As we move through modalities of being within a techno-culture we analyze virtual identity and its relationship to community. What is the future of life and notions of the real/virtual in contemporary media analysis?
Objectives: Students gain an intimate understanding of the innovative work of Wolfgang Schirmacher. We analyze his works in relation to their placement within contemporary philosophical debates. As we move through questions of identity, ethics, and life techniques we give room for the growth and unique classroom experience that defines the European Graduate School. The course aims to expand thinking, we will push ourselves to new heights of understanding through intensive seminar discussions and writing sessions. As we work together through virtuality and questions of the possibility of artificial subjectivity we edge towards attempting new vocabularies and answers for the challenges of the cyber-future.
Course Schedule:
Module One: Ereignis Media Culture
This Module examines - Art of Living / Culture of Virtuality - Multiplicity Ereignis /A\Propriation/ Enowning Ereignis
Closer Readings of Wolfgang Schirmacher: Cloning Humans with Media; Netculture; Indirect Communication and Aesthetic Ethics
Assignment: Write paper on “Basic Traits of Media Culture"
Module Two: Geviert Artificial Life
Life Techniques: Fulfilling Itself, To Fail Better - Life Technique: Art of Life / Sublime Decision (Jean Francois Lyotard)– Life Technique Lebenslust (Just Living) / Touching Community (Jean-Luc Nancy)
Closer Readings of: Martin Heidegger: Poetry, Language, Thought; Schirmacher/ Lyotard: Homo Generator in Artificial Life; Schirmacher: Artificial Perception: Nietzsche and the Culture after Nihilism
Write paper on “How does Artificial Life shows itself to us?"
Module Three: Gelassenheit and Ethics
Im/possibility of Ethical dasein: Life Technique Homo Generator / Nomadic Monad (Gilles Deleuze) - Life Technique Parallel Ethics / Ethics of the Other (Emmanuel Levinas) - Life Technique Trust forward-back / Test Drive (Avital Ronell)
Closer Readings of: Martin Heidegger - Ereignis, Geviert, Gelassenheit; Schirmacher: What If: A Tribute to Jacques Derrida; Introduction: Jean Baudrillard; Avital Ronell: Test Drive.
Write paper on “Thinking as Life Technique"
Required Readings:
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Cloning Humans with Media: Impermanence and Imperceptible Perfection.". Poiesis EGS Press. Toronto. No. 2, 2000.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. Netculture.". Poiesis. EGS Press. Toronto. No. 3, 2001.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "On the Inability to Recognize the Human Flaw." In: Wolfgang Schirmacher. Just Living. Philosophy in Artificial Life. Atropos Press. New York, Dresden. ISBN 0981946269. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Indirekte Kommunikation und Aesthetische Ethik." In: Wolfgang Schirmacher. Lebenstechniken. Atropos Press. New York, Dresden (forthcoming).
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Homo Generator in the Postmodern Discussion. From a Conversation with Jean Francois Lyotard." In: Stephen K. Levine (editor.) Poiesis. A Journal of the Arts and Communication. EGS Press. Toronto. Volume 7. 2005. Pages 86-99. ISSN 1492-4986/2005.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Art(ificial) Perception: Nietzsche and Culture after Nihilism.". Poiesis EGS Press. Toronto. Vol. 1, 1999.
MEDIA AESTHETICS: The Homo Generator (3 Credits)
Wolfgang Schirmacher, Ph.D.
Description: This course examines media aesthetics through Schirmacher’s revolutionary Homo generator. As we explore the possibilities of media and identity we will go through the major contemporary philosophers. We will examine Jean-François Lyotard’s thoughts on the sublime, Gilles Deleuze's rehabilitation of the monad, and Emmanuel Levinas’ ethics of the other contribute to the media aesthetics of Homo generator.
Course Schedule:
Module One
The End of Metaphysics: Thinking Non-Metaphysical Dasein - Aesthetics and Aisthesis: The Beauty of Generating One’s Life.
Read and choose a relevant passage in each text: Schirmacher, The End of Metaphysics; Schirmacher: From the Phenomenon to the Event of Technology; Schirmacher: Artists of Life; Schirmacher: Art(ificial) Perception
Module Two
Homo Media Generator: Cloning Humans
Read and choose a relevant passage: Schirmacher, Homo Generator: Media and Postmodern Technology; Schirmacher, Cloning Humans with Media: Impermanence and Imperceptible Perception
Module Three
Ereignis / Geviert/ Gelassenheit - Im/possibility of Ethical Dasein: Life Techniques.
Read and choose a relevant passage in each text: Martin Heidegger, Building, Dwelling, Thinking; Wolfgang Schirmacher, Homo Generator in Artificial Life. From a Conversation with Jean-François Lyotard
Module Four
Techniques of Artificial Life: Artificial Life “to come" (Jacques Derrida)? Culture of Virtuality – Multiplicity Dasein - Art of Life / Sublime Decision – con(tra)versing Jean-François Lyotard - Just Living (Lebenslust) / Touching Community- con(tra)versing Jean-Luc Nancy Homo Generator / Nomadic Monad - con(trav)ersing Gilles Deleuze.
Read and choose a relevant passage in each text: Wolfgang Schirmacher, Tribute to Derrida; John Maus: Schirmacher’s Homo generator and Contemporary Philosophy.
Module Five
Parallel Ethics / Ethics of the Other – con(tra)versing Emmanuel Levinas - Trust Feed-forward-back / Test Drive – con(tra)versing Avital Ronell
Module Six
Difference / Parallax View - con(tra)versing Slavoj Zizek - Affirmation / Fidelity - con(tra)versing Alain Badiou - Openness of Homo generator /Whatever of Homo sacer - con(tra)versing Giorgio Agamben.
Required Readings:
Lyotard, Jean-François. L'Inhumain: causeries sur le temps. Galilée. 1988. Paperback (Broché), 219 pages, Language French, ISBN: 2718603305. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Lyotard, Jean-François and Christine Pries (Translator). Das Inhumane: Plaudereinen über die Zeit. Passagen Verlag. 2001. Hardcover, 240 pages, Language German, ISBN: 3851654730. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr. Paperback, ISBN: 3851657373. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Lyotard, Jean-François, Geoffrey Bennington and Rachel Bowlby (Translator). The Inhuman: Reflections on Time. Stanford University Press. February 1992. Hardcover, Language English, ISBN: 0804720061. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr. Paperback, ISBN: 0804720088. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Deleuze, Gilles and Tom Conley (Translation). The Fold: Leibniz and the Baroque. University of Minnesota Press. January 1993. Hardcover, 192 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0816615985. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr. November 1992, 168 pages, Paperback, ISBN: 0816616019. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Homo Generator in the Postmodern Discussion. From a Conversation with Jean Francois Lyotard." In: Stephen K. Levine (editor.) Poiesis. A Journal of the Arts & Communication. EGS Press. Toronto. Volume 7. 2005. Pages 86-99. ISSN 1492-4986/2005.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Cloning Humans with Media: Impermanence and Imperceptible Perfection.". Poiesis EGS Press. Toronto. No. 2, 2000.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Art(ificial) Perception: Nietzsche and Culture after Nihilism.". Poiesis EGS Press. Toronto. Vol. 1, 1999.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Homo Generator: Media and Postmodern Technology." Gretchen Bender, and Timothy Duckrey(eds). Culture on the Brink: Ideologies of Technology. The New Press. New York, 1994/1999, 361 pages, Paperback, ISBN: 1565844963; Bay Press. April 1994, Paperback. ISBN: 0941920283. Buy it at Amazon.com.", Amazon.de.", Amazon.co.uk." or Amazon.fr.".
MEDIA PHILOSOPHY (3 credits)
Wolfgang Schirmacher, Ph.D.
Description: This course explores innovations in communication by applying 20th century philosophy to a discussion of today's media theory, practice, and criticism.
Required Readings:
McNeill, William and Karen Feldman. Continental Philosophy: An Anthology Blackwell Philosophy Anthologies, 6. Blackwell Publishers. April 1998, 656 pages, Hardcover, ISBN: 1557867003. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr. July 1998, 656 pages, Paperback, ISBN: 1557865612. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang (Editor), T. W. Adorno and M. Horkheimer. German 20th Century Philosophy : The Frankfurt School (German Library, Vol 78 (Cloth). Continuum Pub Group. February 2000, Hardcover, 324 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0826409660.
Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr. May 2000, 324 pages, Paperback, ISBN: 0826409679.
Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
MEDIA CULTURE: Dasein in Unawareness and Singularity (3 credits)
Wolfgang Schirmacher, Ph.D.
Description: This course examines media culture. We will take critical challenges to media culture, that is unaware of its potential as a post-technological event and ethics of singularity. This course explores media culture as post-technological event, a potential for artificial Dasein and parallel ethics.
Required Readings:
Nancy, Jean-Luc. Être singulier pluriel. Galilée. 1996. Paperback, 210 pages, Language French, ISBN: 2718604700. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Nancy, Jean-Luc and Robert D. Richardson, Anne E. O'Byrne (Translation). Being singular plural. Stanford University Press. November 2000. Hardcover, 207 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0804739749. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr. Paperback, ISBN: 0804739757. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Nancy, Jean-Luc and Ulrich Müller-Schöll (Translator). Singulär plural sein. Diaphanes. November 2004. Hardcover, 174 pages, Language German, ISBN: 3935300220. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
McQuillan, Martin. Deconstruction: A Reader. Routledge. March 2001. Paperback, 571 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0415936888. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
MEDIA PHILOSOPHY: GEVIERT (3 credits)
Wolfgang Schirmacher, Ph.D.
Description: Jean-François Lyotard's thoughts on the sublime, Gilles Deleuze's rehabilitation of the Monad, Emmanuel Levinas' ethics of the Other, Avital Ronell's test drive are merged into the media philosophy of Homo Generator.
Required Readings:
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Homo Generator in the Postmodern Discussion. From a Conversation with Jean Francois Lyotard." In: Stephen K. Levine (editor.) Poiesis. A Journal of the Arts & Communication. EGS Press. Toronto. Volume 7. 2005. Pages 86-99. ISSN 1492-4986/2005.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Cloning Humans with Media: Impermanence and Imperceptible Perfection.". Poiesis EGS Press. Toronto. No. 2, 2000.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Art(ificial) Perception: Nietzsche and Culture after Nihilism.". Poiesis EGS Press. Toronto. Vol. 1, 1999.
Schirmacher, Wolfgang. "Homo Generator: Media and Postmodern Technology." Gretchen Bender, and Timothy Duckrey(eds). Culture on the Brink: Ideologies of Technology. The New Press. New York, 1994/1999, 361 pages, Paperback, ISBN: 1565844963; Bay Press. April 1994, Paperback. ISBN: 0941920283. Buy it at Amazon.com.", Amazon.de.", Amazon.co.uk." or Amazon.fr.".
Lyotard, Jean-François and Elizabeth Rottenberg (Translator). Lessons on the Analytic of the Sublime: Kant's Critique of Judgment, 23-29. Meridian. Stanford University Press. February 1994. Paperback, 246 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0804722420. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Lyotard, Jean-François. "After the Sublime: The State of Aesthetics." in: David Carroll (ed). The States of 'Theory': History, Art, and Critical Discourse. Irvine Studies in the Humanities. Columbia University Press. January 1990. pp. 297-304, Hardcover, Language English, ISBN: 0231070861. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr. Stanford University Press. July 1994. Paperback, ISBN: 0804722544. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Deleuze, Gilles and Félix Guattari. Nomadology: The War Machine. Semiotext(e). June 1, 1986. Paperback, 160 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0936756098. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Deleuze, Gilles and Tom Conley (Translator). The Fold: Leibniz and the Baroque. University Of Minnesota Press. December 18, 1992. Paperback, 192 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0816616019. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity. Springer. February 29, 1980. Hardcover, 312 pages, Language English, ISBN: 9024722888. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Ronell, Avital. The Test Drive. University of Illinois Press. December 10, 2007. Paperback, 384 pages, Language English, ISBN: 0252075358. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
ARTIFICIAL LIFE: Cyberlife and Existence (3 credits)
Wolfgang Schirmacher, Ph.D. and Shelley Jackson
Description: This course examines the creative possibilities of/in cyberlife and provides a philosophical framework for an encounter with the art of living as artificial eXistence by nature. (With Shelley Jackson)
Required Readings:
Bell, David and Barbara M. Kennedy. The Cybercultures Reader. Routledge. March 2000, 800 pages, Library Binding, 1st edition, ISBN: 0415183782. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr. March 2000, 800 pages, Paperback, ISBN: 0415183790. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
Schopenhauer, Arthur. Philosophical Writings (German Library, Vol 27). Wolfgang Schirmacher (Editor). Continuum Pub Group. June 1997, 300 pages, Hardcover, ISBN: 0826407285. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr. July 1994, 300 pages, Paperback, ISBN: 0826407293. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
PHILOSOPHY OF TECHNOLOGY: Authenticity and Understanding (3 credits)
Wolfgang Schirmacher, Ph.D.
Description: This course discusses the contributions of philosophers such as Karl Marx, Martin Heidegger, Jacques Ellul, Max Horkheimer, Herbert Marcuse, Gilles Deleuze and Vilem Flusser to come to an authentic understanding of the technological age.
Required Readings:
Heidegger, Martin and William Lovitt (Translator). The Question Concerning Technology, and Other Essays. Harpercollins. February 1982. Paperback, 224 Pages, Language English, ISBN: 0061319694. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.
THE SELF AND THE BRAIN: Image and Identity in History (3 credits)
Wolfgang Schirmacher, Ph.D.
Description: This course examines the mystery of the interrelation between the self and the brain and addresses questions crucial to the image of ourselves. Readings include classical and recent works in philosophy, studies in neuroscience, and the history of science.
INNOVATIONS IN COMMUNICATIONS: Perpetual Change (3 credits)
Wolfgang Schirmacher, Ph.D.
Description: This course is a philosophical survey covering the cutting-edge strategies of communications and how these ideas change media.