ABSTRACT

The author explores the work of major thinkers and cultural movements that have grappled with the complex relationship between technology, politics and culture. Subjects such as the Internet, cloning, warfare, fascism and Virtual Reality are placed within a broad theoretical context which explores how humanity might, through technology, establish a more ethical relationship with the world.
Examining the philosophy of writers such as Heidegger, Benjamin, Lyotard, Virilio, and Zizek, and cultural movements such as Italian Futurism, this book marks a timely intervention in critical theory debates. The broad scope of the book will be of vital interest to those in the fields of philosophy, critical theory, cultural studies, politics and communications.

chapter 1|17 pages

Introduction

In the service of the machine?

chapter 2|26 pages

Beyond enframing

Heidegger and the question concerning technology

chapter 3|23 pages

Walter Benjamin and technology

Social form and the recovery of aura

chapter 5|26 pages

Between totalitarianism and heterogeneity

Lyotard and the postmodern condition

chapter 6|24 pages

Paul Virilio

Overcoming inertia?

chapter 7|22 pages

Psychoanalysis, cyberspace and its discontents: Turkle, Žižek,

Turkle, Žižek, Brennan

chapter 8|6 pages

Conclusion