Techno-genesis: Reconceptualising geography’s technology from ontology to ontogenesis

Abstract

Technologies have been theorised to understand their powers to produce spacetimes – notably through Bernard Stiegler’s reading of technics as constitutive of human ontology. However, less attention has been paid to how technologies shape spacetimes according to their own distinct logics of evolution, the result being a tendency to reduce technological agency to a question of its effects on human being. The first half of the paper elaborates this problem in conversation with geographies of the digital turn. The second half introduces an alternative approach through Gilbert Simondon’s ontogenetic notion of technology characterised by its own logics of evolution – what I term techno-genesis.

Crystallising places: Towards geographies of ontogenesis and individuation

“…at a time when Simondon's ideas were also being rediscovered in French philosophy (LaMarre, 2013). Since then, there have been a wide range of engagements with his thinking in philosophy and cultural studies (see Stiegler, 1998Stiegler, [1994Stiegler, ], 2009Stiegler, [1996Stiegler, ], 2011Stiegler, [2001; Mackenzie, 2002;Toscano, 2006;De Boever et al, 2013;Combes, 2013Combes, [1999), as well as a more recent concern with his work in anglophone cultural geography (see Woodward et al, 2015;Lapworth, 2016Lapworth, , 2020Lapworth, , 2023Roberts, 2017;Ash, 2018;Keating, 2019Keating, , 2023. 4.…”

Datafication and urban (in)justice: Towards a digital spatial justice

“…See also the non-neutrality of crime data inScassa (2018); potential violation of the rights to data privacy and data security through urban surveillance inFu et al (2019); ethical challenges in smart city applications inClever et al (2018).6 See alsoKeating's (2023) effort to theorise geography's technology's ontogenesis.7 For informational entities, seeCanguilhem (1991Canguilhem ( [1966), whomSimondon (2020Simondon ( [2005) drew from; andFloridi's (2014) infosphere.…”

“…For a similar purpose, how space contributes to theories of justice, see alsoDikeç (2001).4 For a discussion on the tight connection between data-gatherings, predictive policing, and urban security in neoliberal cities see for example,Tulumello (2018) andPavoni and Tulumello (2023).5 See also the non-neutrality of crime data inScassa (2018); potential violation of the rights to data privacy and data security through urban surveillance inFu et al (2019); ethical challenges in smart city applications inClever et al (2018).6 See alsoKeating's (2023) effort to theorise geography's technology's ontogenesis.7 For informational entities, seeCanguilhem (1991Canguilhem ( [1966), whomSimondon (2020Simondon ( [2005) drew from; andFloridi's (2014) infosphere.…”