In this article I discuss different scientific and non-modern worlds as they appear in a performative (rather than representational) idiom, situating my analysis relation to the recent ontological turns science technology studies (STS) anthropology. propose an ontology of decentered becoming that can help us take seriously multiplicity 'found' ontologies. A key concept is 'islands stability', which enables comparative transition between shamanism. This offers opportunity reflect back...

This paper aims to enrich our understanding of the history and substance cybernetics. It reviews work three British cyberneticians - W. Ross Ashby, Stafford Beer Gordon Pask paying attention particularly materiality their practice strange fascinating devices systems that were at heart worldly projects they pursued scientific, technological, artistic, organizational, political spiritual. Connections are drawn between cybernetics recent theoretical in science technology studies, hope...

Abstract This essay explores the politics of theory and how theoretical analysis in science technology studies might inform real-world conduct. I focus on objects projects that can serve as 'ontological theatre' for a nonmodern perspective – both evoke act out ontology associate with my 'the mangle practice'. These are models 'producing another world'. In conclusion, contrast this proposal Latour's political articulation actor-network theory: Latour aims to reassemble social at meta-level...

Asian Eels and Global Warming:A Posthumanist Perspective on Society the Environment Andrew Pickering (bio) My idea in this essay is to talk about how some recent developments my field—science technology studies—might pass over into environmental studies. In particular, I want a certain posthumanist perspective, as call it, relation between people things, because think that it transfers nicely from thinking machines environment.1 say advance while word 'posthumanist' might sound bit peculiar,...

Andrew Pickering was originally a physicist, with his first degree fromOxford and PhD in particle physics fromUniversity College London. He changed fields to science technology studies, joining the Science Studies Unit at Edinburgh University late 1970s. taught for many years of Illinois Urbana-Champaign before returning Britain as professor sociology philosophy Exeter. His books include Constructing Quarks: A Sociological History Particle Physics (1984), The Mangle Practice: Time, Agency...

Asian Eels and Global Warming:A Posthumanist Perspective on Society the Environment Andrew Pickering (bio) My idea in this essay is to talk about how some recent developments my field—science technology studies—might pass over into environmental studies. In particular, I want a certain posthumanist perspective, as call it, relation between people things, because think that it transfers nicely from thinking machines environment.1 say advance while word 'posthumanist' might sound bit peculiar,...

This paper explores the history of Stafford Beer's work in management cybernetics, from his early conception and simulation an adaptive automatic factory associated experimentation biological computing, through development Viable System Model Team Syntegrity technique for discussion planning. It also pursues Beer into fields micro‐ macropolitics spirituality. The aim is to show that all projects can be understood as specific instantiations workings out a cybernetic ontology unknowability...

Some novel concepts have invaded the arts: ideas of art as experiment, and associated understandings research or research-creation conducted under laboratory conditions, and, beyond that, an idea a hybrid art-science. It is if science, two fields long regarded distinct, even polar opposites, are fusing into one. hard not to see politics at work in this. In pursuit academic standing, allies itself with field most prestige funding, science. Conversely, sciences, always danger social...

This essay reviews the English translation of Stanislaw Lem’s book on philosophy technology, Summa Technologiae, first published in Polish 1961. The is a distinctive work scientific futurology, and review explores connections between thought cybernetics Ross Ashby, Stafford Beer, Gordon Pask, including discussions inevitability life, distribution life across universe, evolution as design, different forms intelligence, biological computing, virtual realities, synthetic worlds, arts. science...

Detection of biological warfare agents must be achieved as far upwind their potential target possible to provide the time necessary adopt an effective protective posture. A small-scale fluorescence lidar has been designed and constructed by Dstl. The active element is a solid state Nd:YAG laser, frequency which quadrupled yield 266nm excitation 9ns pulses with 40mJ energy. Fluorescence collected from 300 500nm divided into 10 channels investigate discrimination between common fluorescent...