Crystallising places: Towards geographies of ontogenesis and individuation.

Building upon the current concern with relational, processual and assemblage approaches to place, this paper argues for a move away from 'pointillist' and constructivist accounts of the assembling of places because they reinforce binaries, reintroduce structures and highlight singular representational moments in the building, identification and dismantling of places. Drawing upon Deleuze's philosophy of difference and Simondon's writings on individuation, I suggest that places can more usefully be seen as events of crystallisation, distillation or folding characterised by multi-phased processes of individuation through which distinctive 'individual-milieu coupling[s]' emerge, refocusing attention on the open-ended, plural and eventful qualities of places-in-becoming.

Corrigendum: Bringing forth within: Enhabiting at the intersection between enaction and ecological psychology.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01348.].

Enactive and simondonian reflections on mental disorders.

As an alternative to linear and unidimensional perspectives focused mainly on either organic or psychological processes, the enactive approach to life and mind-a branch of 4-E (embodied, embedded, enactive, extended) cognitive theories-offers an integrative framework to study mental disorders that encompasses and articulates organic, sensorimotor, and intersubjective dimensions of embodiment. These three domains are deeply entangled in a non-trivial manner. A question remains on how this systemic and multi-dimensional approach may be applied to our understanding of mental disorders and symptomatic behavior. Drawing on Gilbert Simondon's philosophy of individuation (focusing particularly on the concepts of tension, metastability, and preindividual), we provide some enactive conceptual tools to better understand the dynamic, interactive, and multi-dimensional nature of human bodies in mental disorders and psychopathological symptoms. One of such tools cursiva is sense-making, a key notion that captures the relational process of generating meaning by interacting with the sociomaterial environment. The article analyzes five aspects related to sense-making: temporality, adaptivity, the multiplicity of normativities it involves, the fundamental role of tension, and its participatory character. On this basis, we draw certain implications for our understanding of mental disorders and diverse symptoms, and suggest their interpretation in terms of difficulties to transform tensions and perform individuation processes, which result in a reduction of the field of potentialities for self-individuation and sense-making.

Code biology and the problem of emergence.

It should now be recognized that codes are central to life and to understanding its more complex forms, including human culture. Recognizing the 'conventional' nature of codes provides solid grounds for rejecting efforts to reduce life to biochemistry and justifies according a place to semantics in life. The question I want to consider is whether this is enough. Focussing on Eigen's paradox of how a complex code could originate, I will argue that along with Barbieri's efforts to account for the origins of life based on the ribosome and then to account for the refined codes through a process of ambiguity reduction, something more is required. Barbieri has not provided an adequate account of emergence, or the basis for providing such an account. I will argue that Stanley Salthe has clarified to some extent the nature of emergence by conceptualizing it as the interpolation of new enabling constraints. Clearly, codes can be seen as enabling constraints. How this actually happens, though, is still not explained. Stuart Kauffman has grappled with this issue and shown that it radically challenges the assumptions of mainstream science going back to Newton. He has attempted to reintroduce real possibilities or potentialities into his ontology, and argued that radically new developments in nature are associated with realizing adjacent possibles. This is still not adequate. What is also involved, I will suggest, utilizing concepts developed by the French natural philosopher Gilbert Simondon, is 'transduction' as part of 'ontogenesis' of individuals in a process of 'individuation', that is, the emergence of 'individuals' from preindividual fields or milieux.

Placebo From an Enactive Perspective.

Due to their complexity and variability, placebo effects remain controversial. We suggest this is also due to a set of problematic assumptions (dualism, reductionism, individualism, passivity). We critically assess current explanations and empirical evidence and propose an alternative theoretical framework-the enactive approach to life and mind-based on recent developments in embodied cognitive science. We review core enactive concepts such as autonomy, agency, and sense-making. Following these ideas, we propose a move from binary distinctions (e.g., conscious vs. non-conscious) to the more workable categories of reflective and pre-reflective activity. We introduce an ontology of individuation, following the work of Gilbert Simondon, that allow us to see placebo interventions not as originating causal chains, but as modulators and triggers in the regulation of tensions between ongoing embodied and interpersonal processes. We describe these interrelated processes involving looping effects through three intertwined dimensions of embodiment: organic, sensorimotor, and intersubjective. Finally, we defend the need to investigate therapeutic interactions in terms of participatory sense-making, going beyond the identification of individual social traits (e.g., empathy, trust) that contribute to placebo effects. We discuss resonances and differences between the enactive proposal, popular explanations such as expectations and conditioning, and other approaches based on meaning responses and phenomenological/ecological ideas.

Bioética global, individuación y concretización técnica como aproximaciones a una "supervivencia aceptable" para la humanidad

Propósito/Contexto. Este artículo tiene como propósito establecer una relación de complementariedad entre la propuesta o intuición del bioquímico norteamericano Van Rensselaer Potter en torno a la Bioética Global y la teoría de la individuación del filósofo francés Gilbert Simondon, con el fin de entender el papel de los objetos técnicos en la individuación humana. Metodología/Enfoque. El enfoque parte de las "categorías" de concretización y de juicio técnico como puntos clave para mostrar que el proceso de concretización técnica es fundamental para el desarrollo de la intuición bioética potteriana. Es decir, la relación entre la intuición bioética y la teoría de la individuación nos puede posibilitar una nueva relación con la cultura técnica y con la cultura natural de cara a la "supervivencia aceptable" de la especie humana en el planeta. Resultados/Hallazgos. La concretización técnica y el juicio técnico permiten la comprensión de los sistemas a partir de su dinamismo interno y no desde categorías externas, de modo que el juicio técnico no juzga ni valora un sistema, sino que lo organiza para evitar su obsolescencia o, en palabras de V.R. Potter, da lugar a nuevas formas de relacionarnos con los sistemas bióticos y abióticos. Discusión/Conclusiones/Contribuciones. La contribución principal del artículo es destacar la relevancia de una adecuada relación con la técnica y el modo como esta contribuye a nuestra individuación y supervivencia.

Purpose/Context. This article aims to establish a complementary relationship between American biochemist Van Rensselaer Potter's global bioethics proposal or intuition and French philosopher Gilbert Simondon's theory of individuation to understand the role of technical objects in human individuation. Methods/Approach. The approach starts from the "categories" of concretization and technical judgment as critical points to show that the process of technical concretization is fundamental for the development of Potter's bioethical intuition. In other words, the relationship between bioethical intuition and the theory of individuation enables a new relationship with technical culture and natural culture vis-á-vis the "acceptable survival" of the human species on the planet. Results/Findings. Technical concretization and technical judgment allow understanding systems from their internal dynamism and not from external categories; therefore, the technical judgment does not judge or assess a system, but organizes it to avoid its obsolescence or, in Potter's words, gives rise to new ways of relating to biotic and abiotic systems. Discussion/Conclusions/Contributions. The article highlights the relevance of a good relationship with technique and its contribution to our individuation and survival.

Objetivo/Contexto. Este artigo tem como propósito estabelecer uma relação de complementaridade entre a proposta ou intuição do bioquímico norte-americano Van Rensselaer Potter em torno da Bioética Global e a teoria da individuação do filósofo francés Gilbert Simondon, a fim de compreender o papel dos objetos técnicos na individualização humana. Metodologia/Abordagem. O enfoque parte das "categorias" de concretização e de juízo técnico como pontos-chave para mostrar que o processo de concretização técnica é fundamental para o desenvolvimento da intuição bioética potteriana. Ou seja, a relação entre a intuição bioética e a teoria da individuação pode possibilitar-nos uma nova relação com a cultura técnica e com a cultura natural de face á "sobrevivéncia aceitável" da espécie humana no planeta. Resultados/Descobertas. A concretização técnica e o juízo técnico permitem a compreensáo dos sistemas a partir do seu dinamismo interno e náo a partir de categorias externas, de modo que o juízo técnico náo julga nem valoriza um sistema, mas organiza-o para evitar a sua obsolescencia ou, nas palavras de V.R. Potter, dá lugar para novas formas de nos relacionarmos com os sistemas bióticos e abióticos. Discussão/Conclusões/Contribuições. A contribuição principal do artigo é destacar a relevancia de uma adequada relação com a técnica e o modo como esta contribui para a nossa individuação e sobrevivéncia.

Bringing Forth Within: Enhabiting at the Intersection Between Enaction and Ecological Psychology.

Baggs and Chemero (2018) propose that certain tensions between enaction and ecological psychology arise due different interpretations about what is meant by the "environment." In the enactive approach the emphasis is on the umwelt, which describes the environment as the "meaningful, lived surroundings of a given individual." The ecological approach, on the other hand, emphasises what they refer to as the habitat "the environment as a set of resources for a typical, or ideal, member of a species." By making this distinction, these authors claim they are able to retain the best of both the ecological and the enactive approaches. Herein I propose an account of the individuation of habits that straddles this distinction, what I call a compatabilist account. This is done in two parts. The first part teases out a host of compatibilities that exist between the enactive account as developed by Di Paolo et al. (2017) and the skilled intentionality framework as developed by Bruineberg and Rietveld (2014) and Rietveld and Kiverstein (2014). In part two these compatibilities are brought together with the that these compatibilities can be brought together with the philosophy of Gilbert Simondon to develop the notion of enhabiting. Enhabiting describes a set of ongoing processes by which an umwelt emerges from and is reproduced within the relationship between an embodied subject and their habitat. Thus, enhabiting points toward a point of intersection between enaction and ecological psychology. To enhabit is bring forth (to enact), within (to inhabit).

Nothing personal: algorithmic individuation on music streaming platforms.

Raymond Williams once wrote, '… there are in fact no masses, but only ways of seeing people as masses'. In an age of personalized media, the word 'masses' seems like an anachronism. Nevertheless, if Williams were to study contemporary online platforms, he would no doubt conclude that there are in fact no individuals, but only ways of seeing people as individuals. This article explores this idea by taking a closer look at online music streaming services. It first conducts a comparison of how two leading streaming platforms conceive of the individual music listener. Then, drawing from Gilbert Simondon's theory of individuation, it demonstrates how ways of seeing the individual work to enact the individual on these platforms. In particular, ways of seeing are heavily influenced by the consumer categories that are defined and demanded by advertisers. This article concludes with an examination of how commercial imperatives shape 'ways of seeing' and 'algorithmic individuation' on music streaming platforms.

A técnica como modo de existência: um diálogo entre as ideias de Latour e Simondon / The technique as a mode of existence: a dialogue between Latour and Simondon's ideas

Este artigo estabelece um diálogo entre as ideias de Simondon e de Latour tomando como foco o modo de existência das técnicas. Através do rastreamento de material disponível na rede mundial de computadores por chaves de acesso, foram reunidas publicações dos dois autores e de alguns de seus comentadores a fim de buscar analogias e tensões entre os dois conjuntos de ideias em torno da temática da técnica. O artigo descreve as categorias que emergiram dessa organização. Apresentamos argumentos que justificam retomar hoje as ideias de Simondon, problematizamos os modos de existência e a lógica das preposições segundo os autores convocados por Latour e levantamos alguns conceitos chave na obra de Simondon. Identificamos a herança de Simondon no pensamento de Latour ao longo de todo este estudo e, na última parte, em especial, dedicamo-nos a tecer esse diálogo possível ainda que ficcional entre os autores no que concerne à maneira de conceber não apenas as técnicas como um dos modos de existência, mas na perspectiva de uma pluralidade ontológica preconizada por ambos. (AU)

This article seeks to establish a dialogue between the ideas of Simondon and Latour, focusing on the mode of existence of the techniques. By tracking material available on the World Wide Web by access keys, the two authors and some of their commentators' publications have been brought together so we could add elements to this construction through analogies and tensions between the two sets of ideas around the theme of the technique. The article describes the categories which emerged from that organization. We present arguments which justify Simondon ideas today, problematize the modes of existence and the logic of prepositions according the authors summoned by Latour and raise some key concepts in the work of Simondon. We identify the Simondon heritage in the thought of Latour throughout the study and, especially, in the last part, we dedicate ourselves to weave this possible dialogue, even if fictional, between authors, regarding how to conceive not only the technique, but also one of the modes of existence, but in the perspective of an ontological plurality advocated by both.(AU)

A técnica como modo de existência: um diálogo entre as ideias de Latour e Simondon / The technique as a mode of existence: a dialogue between Latour and Simondon’s ideas

Este artigo estabelece um diálogo entre as ideias de Simondon e de Latour tomando como foco o modo de existência das técnicas. Através do rastreamento de material disponível na rede mundial de computadores por chaves de acesso, foram reunidas publicações dos dois autores e de alguns de seus comentadores a fim de buscar analogias e tensões entre os dois conjuntos de ideias em torno da temática da técnica. O artigo descreve as categorias que emergiram dessa organização. Apresentamos argumentos que justificam retomar hoje as ideias de Simondon, problematizamos os modos de existência e a lógica das preposições segundo os autores convocados por Latour e levantamos alguns conceitos chave na obra de Simondon. Identificamos a herança de Simondon no pensamento de Latour ao longo de todo este estudo e, na última parte, em especial,dedicamo-nos a tecer esse diálogo possível ainda que ficcional entre os autores no que concerne à maneira de conceber não apenas as técnicas como um dos modos de existência, mas na perspectiva de uma pluralidade ontológica preconizada por ambos.(AU)

This article seeks to establish a dialogue between the ideas of Simondon and Latour, focusing on the mode of existence of the techniques. By tracking material available on the World Wide Web by access keys, the two authors and some of their commentators’ publications have been brought together so we could add elements to this construction through analogies and tensions between the two sets of ideas around the theme of the technique. The article describes the categories which emerged from that organization. We present arguments which justify Simondon ideas today, problematize the modes of existence and the logic of prepositions according the authors summoned by Latour and raise some key concepts in the work of Simondon. We identify the Simondon heritage inthe thought of Latour through out the study and, especially, in the last part, we dedicate ourselves to weave this possible dialogue, even if fictional, between authors, regarding how to conceive not only the technique, but also one of the modes of existence, but in the perspective of an ontological plurality advocated by both.(AU)

A contribuição de Simondon para uma ética do feminino no fazer pesquisa / Simondon's contribution for a feminine ethics in doing research / La contribución de Simondon de una ética femenina em la investigación

Uma ética inspirada em Simondon enseja um modelo de fazer pesquisa que nos provoca a pensar de maneira divergente da ciência hegemônica, apontando o seu caráter ideológico, por vezes racista e sexista, assim como para a sua incapacidade de acolher o diferente. Para a construção de um modelo em sintonia com a busca de alternativas a um enquadramento normativo, evocamos feministas que, inspiradas no trabalho de primatólogas, se permitem usar outro artefato de pesquisa, trazendo, à discussão, práticas de campo até então pouco usuais que envolvem o tempo e a maneira de observar, a distância entre pesquisadores e pesquisados, a construção do meio justo da ação, a renúncia ao controle e a formulação de questões interessantes para ambos, tendo como norte o que Despret chamou de "polidez no fazer conhecimento". Essas ações são defendidas neste ensaio pois performam um conjunto de práticas para uma boa pesquisa, não por esta ser empreendida por mulheres, mas por ser praticada com ética.

An ethic inspired by Simondon entails a model of doing research that provokes us to think in different ways from a hegemonic science, pointing its ideological character, sometimes racist and sexist as well as its inability to accommodate what is different. To build a model in harmony with the search for alternatives to a regulatory framework, we evoke feminists who, inspired by the primatologists work, allow themselves to use another artifact research, bringing to the discussion field practices until then unusual, involving time and manner of observing, distance between researchers and researched, construction of the righteous medium of action, renounce of control, and the formulation of interesting questions for both, having, as north, what Despret named "politeness in making knowledge". These actions are defended in this essay because they perform a set of practices for good research, not for being undertaken by women, but because are practiced ethically.

Una ética inspirada en Simondon implica un modelo de hacer investigación que nos provoca pensar de forma diferente de la ciencia hegemónica, señalando su carácter ideológico, a veces racistas y sexistas, así como su incapacidad para dar cabida a lo que es diferente. Para construir un modelo en armonía con la búsqueda de alternativas a un marco regulatorio, evocamos las feministas que, inspiradas por lo trabajo de primatólogas, se dejan usar outro artefacto de investigación, trayendo, a la discusión, las prácticas de campo hasta entones insólitas, que implican tiempo y la forma de observar la distancia entre los investigadores y los investigados, la construcción del medio justo de la acción, la renuncia de control y la formulación de preguntas interessantes para ambos, que tienen, como el norte, lo que Despret ha nombrado "la cortesía en la toma de conocimiento". Estas acciones se defienden en este ensayo porque ellos realizan un conjunto de prácticas para una buena investigación, no por seren llevadas a cabo por las mujeres, sino porque se practican éticamente.

La bioética y el pensamiento sistémico. El diagrama de la vida desde las perspectivas de Gilbert Simondon y Gilles Deleuze

El presente artículo reflexiona en torno a la idea de vida (Bios) conforme a constituciones de carácter o comportamiento (Ethos) hasta determinar escenarios de actividad vital (entornos) que garantizan la expansión a las construcciones simbólicas desde las que nos reconocemos como humanos. Nuestro marco de acción será, pues, una evaluación de contextos de carácter filosófico-científico en los que la preocupación bioética es latente, siguiendo las dinámicas reveladoras del pensamiento sistémico que ha ido estableciéndose en la academia desde hace más de 50 años, haciendo frente a los modelos mecanicistas que sobreviven a gran escala, gracias a los intereses tecno-económicos de la actualidad. El modelo sistémico nos será útil para revisar la idea de lo vivo (Bios) en consonancia con el carácter de apropiación del entorno según un perímetro de acción que define a un tiempo el comportamiento (ethos) y el territorio (topos/oikos), con lo cual puede definirse el ecosistema. Para ello recorreremos las tesis sobre la individuación, de Gilbert Simondon, y sobre el agenciamiento de Gilles Deleuze.

This article reflects about the idea of life (Bios) according to character or behavior constitutions (Ethos) determining vital activity scenarios (environments) that guarantee the expansion of the symbolic contstructions from which we recognize ourselves as humans. Our action framework will be, then, an evaluation of phylosofical-scientific contexts in which the bioethical concern is latent, following the dynamics that reveal the systemic thinking that has been being established in the academic scenarios for more than 50 years, facing the mechanist models that survive at a big scale thanks to the current techno-economic interests. The systemic model will be useful to revise the idea of the living (Bios) in consonance with the character of environment appropriation according to an action perimeter that defines, simultaneously, the behavior (ethos) and the territory (topos/oikos) with which the eciosystem can be defined. For this exercise, we will travel throughout the theses about individuation, by Gilbert Simondon, and about agencement, by Gilles Deleuze.

O presente artigo reflexiona em torno da ideia de vida (Bios) conforme a constituições de caráter ou comportamento (Ethos) até determinar palcos de atividade vital (entorno) que garantem a expansão às construções simbólicas desde as que nos reconhecemos como humanos. Nosso marco de ação será, pois, uma avaliação de contextos de caráter filosófico-cientista nos que a preocupação bioética é latente, seguindo as dinâmicas reveladoras do pensamento sistémico que foi estabelecendo-se na academia desde faz mais de 50 anos, defrontando aos modelos mecanicistas que sobrevivem a grande escala, graças aos interesses tecno-econômicos da atualidade. O modelo sistémico nos será útil para revisar a ideia do vivo (Bios) em consonância com o caráter de apropriação do meio segundo um perímetro de ação que define a um tempo o comporta-mento (ethos) e o território (topos/oikos), com o qual pode definir-se o ecossistema. Para isso percorreremos as teses sobre a individuação, de Gilbert Simondon, e sobre o agenciamento de Gilles Deleuze.