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Digital Aesthetics: The Discrete and the Continuous
Aesthetic investigations of computation are stuck in an impasse, caused by the difficulty of accounting for the ontological discrepancy between the continuity of sensation and the discreteness of digital technology. This article proposes a theoretical position intended to overcome that deadlock. It...
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| Published in: | Theory, culture & society culture & society, 2019-01, Vol.36 (1), p.3-26 |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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| cited_by | cdi_FETCH-LOGICAL-c351t-89eb5a9e79baeb9d1baafcd61f5a62dbf1ecd187ea1a141d3af64b2f3b1b44ac3 |
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| cites | cdi_FETCH-LOGICAL-c351t-89eb5a9e79baeb9d1baafcd61f5a62dbf1ecd187ea1a141d3af64b2f3b1b44ac3 |
| container_end_page | 26 |
| container_issue | 1 |
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| container_title | Theory, culture & society |
| container_volume | 36 |
| creator | Fazi, M. Beatrice |
| description | Aesthetic investigations of computation are stuck in an impasse, caused by the difficulty
of accounting for the ontological discrepancy between the continuity of sensation and the
discreteness of digital technology. This article proposes a theoretical position intended
to overcome that deadlock. It highlights how an ontological focus on continuity has
entered media studies via readings of Deleuze, which attempt to build a ‘digital
aisthesis’ (that is, a theory of digital sensation) by ascribing a ‘virtuality’ to
computation. This underpins, in part, the affective turn in digital theory. In contrast to
such positions, this article argues for a reconceptualization of formal abstraction in
computation, in order to find, within the discreteness of computational formalisms (and
not via the coupling of the latter with virtual sensation), an indeterminacy that would
make computing aesthetic qua inherently generative. This indeterminacy, it is argued here,
can be found by reconsidering, philosophically, Turing’s notion of ‘incomputability’. |
| doi_str_mv | 10.1177/0263276418770243 |
| format | article |
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of accounting for the ontological discrepancy between the continuity of sensation and the
discreteness of digital technology. This article proposes a theoretical position intended
to overcome that deadlock. It highlights how an ontological focus on continuity has
entered media studies via readings of Deleuze, which attempt to build a ‘digital
aisthesis’ (that is, a theory of digital sensation) by ascribing a ‘virtuality’ to
computation. This underpins, in part, the affective turn in digital theory. In contrast to
such positions, this article argues for a reconceptualization of formal abstraction in
computation, in order to find, within the discreteness of computational formalisms (and
not via the coupling of the latter with virtual sensation), an indeterminacy that would
make computing aesthetic qua inherently generative. This indeterminacy, it is argued here,
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of accounting for the ontological discrepancy between the continuity of sensation and the
discreteness of digital technology. This article proposes a theoretical position intended
to overcome that deadlock. It highlights how an ontological focus on continuity has
entered media studies via readings of Deleuze, which attempt to build a ‘digital
aisthesis’ (that is, a theory of digital sensation) by ascribing a ‘virtuality’ to
computation. This underpins, in part, the affective turn in digital theory. In contrast to
such positions, this article argues for a reconceptualization of formal abstraction in
computation, in order to find, within the discreteness of computational formalisms (and
not via the coupling of the latter with virtual sensation), an indeterminacy that would
make computing aesthetic qua inherently generative. This indeterminacy, it is argued here,
can be found by reconsidering, philosophically, Turing’s notion of ‘incomputability’.</description><subject>Aesthetics</subject><subject>Ascription</subject><subject>Computation</subject><subject>Concept formation</subject><subject>Critical theory</subject><subject>Deleuze, Gilles</subject><subject>Digital technology</subject><subject>Emotions</subject><subject>Mass media</subject><subject>Ontology</subject><subject>Technology</subject><subject>Uncertainty</subject><subject>Virtual reality</subject><issn>0263-2764</issn><issn>1460-3616</issn><fulltext>true</fulltext><rsrctype>article</rsrctype><creationdate>2019</creationdate><recordtype>article</recordtype><sourceid>AFRWT</sourceid><sourceid>7UB</sourceid><sourceid>8BJ</sourceid><sourceid>BHHNA</sourceid><sourceid>C18</sourceid><recordid>eNp1kEFLxDAQhYMoWFfvHgueq5kmTVtvS9dVYcHLei6TdLLbZW3XpD34702pIAie5vC-9-bxGLsFfg-Q5w88VSLNlYQiz3kqxRmLQCqeCAXqnEWTnEz6Jbvy_sB5YJSImFi1u3bAY7wkP-xpaI1_jLd7iletN44GirFr4qDEVd8NbTf2o79mFxaPnm5-7oK9r5-21UuyeXt-rZabxIgMhqQoSWdYUl5qJF02oBGtaRTYDFXaaAtkmlCXEBAkNAKtkjq1QoOWEo1YsLs59-T6zzH0qw_96Lrwsk4hKyRXUohA8Zkyrvfeka1Prv1A91UDr6dp6r_TBEsyWzzu6Df0X_4b8zRi9w</recordid><startdate>201901</startdate><enddate>201901</enddate><creator>Fazi, M. Beatrice</creator><general>SAGE Publications</general><general>Sage Publications Ltd</general><scope>AFRWT</scope><scope>AAYXX</scope><scope>CITATION</scope><scope>7U4</scope><scope>7UB</scope><scope>8BJ</scope><scope>BHHNA</scope><scope>C18</scope><scope>DWI</scope><scope>FQK</scope><scope>JBE</scope><scope>WZK</scope></search><sort><creationdate>201901</creationdate><title>Digital Aesthetics: The Discrete and the Continuous</title><author>Fazi, M. Beatrice</author></sort><facets><frbrtype>5</frbrtype><frbrgroupid>cdi_FETCH-LOGICAL-c351t-89eb5a9e79baeb9d1baafcd61f5a62dbf1ecd187ea1a141d3af64b2f3b1b44ac3</frbrgroupid><rsrctype>articles</rsrctype><prefilter>articles</prefilter><language>eng</language><creationdate>2019</creationdate><topic>Aesthetics</topic><topic>Ascription</topic><topic>Computation</topic><topic>Concept formation</topic><topic>Critical theory</topic><topic>Deleuze, Gilles</topic><topic>Digital technology</topic><topic>Emotions</topic><topic>Mass media</topic><topic>Ontology</topic><topic>Technology</topic><topic>Uncertainty</topic><topic>Virtual reality</topic><toplevel>peer_reviewed</toplevel><toplevel>online_resources</toplevel><creatorcontrib>Fazi, M. Beatrice</creatorcontrib><collection>SAGE Open Access</collection><collection>CrossRef</collection><collection>Sociological Abstracts (pre-2017)</collection><collection>Worldwide Political Science Abstracts</collection><collection>International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS)</collection><collection>Sociological Abstracts</collection><collection>Humanities Index</collection><collection>Sociological Abstracts</collection><collection>International Bibliography of the Social Sciences</collection><collection>International Bibliography of the Social Sciences</collection><collection>Sociological Abstracts (Ovid)</collection><jtitle>Theory, culture & society</jtitle></facets><delivery><delcategory>Remote Search Resource</delcategory><fulltext>fulltext</fulltext></delivery><addata><au>Fazi, M. Beatrice</au><format>journal</format><genre>article</genre><ristype>JOUR</ristype><atitle>Digital Aesthetics: The Discrete and the Continuous</atitle><jtitle>Theory, culture & society</jtitle><date>2019-01</date><risdate>2019</risdate><volume>36</volume><issue>1</issue><spage>3</spage><epage>26</epage><pages>3-26</pages><issn>0263-2764</issn><eissn>1460-3616</eissn><abstract>Aesthetic investigations of computation are stuck in an impasse, caused by the difficulty
of accounting for the ontological discrepancy between the continuity of sensation and the
discreteness of digital technology. This article proposes a theoretical position intended
to overcome that deadlock. It highlights how an ontological focus on continuity has
entered media studies via readings of Deleuze, which attempt to build a ‘digital
aisthesis’ (that is, a theory of digital sensation) by ascribing a ‘virtuality’ to
computation. This underpins, in part, the affective turn in digital theory. In contrast to
such positions, this article argues for a reconceptualization of formal abstraction in
computation, in order to find, within the discreteness of computational formalisms (and
not via the coupling of the latter with virtual sensation), an indeterminacy that would
make computing aesthetic qua inherently generative. This indeterminacy, it is argued here,
can be found by reconsidering, philosophically, Turing’s notion of ‘incomputability’.</abstract><cop>London, England</cop><pub>SAGE Publications</pub><doi>10.1177/0263276418770243</doi><tpages>24</tpages><oa>free_for_read</oa></addata></record> |
| fulltext | fulltext |
| identifier | ISSN: 0263-2764 |
| ispartof | Theory, culture & society, 2019-01, Vol.36 (1), p.3-26 |
| issn | 0263-2764 1460-3616 |
| language | eng |
| recordid | cdi_proquest_journals_2158406433 |
| source | International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS); Worldwide Political Science Abstracts; Humanities Index; Sociological Abstracts; SAGE |
| subjects | Aesthetics Ascription Computation Concept formation Critical theory Deleuze, Gilles Digital technology Emotions Mass media Ontology Technology Uncertainty Virtual reality |
| title | Digital Aesthetics: The Discrete and the Continuous |
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