"The virtual possesses complete reality, in its virtuality." Gilles Deleuze, Différence et Répétition
"Virtual reality corrupts, absolute reality corrupts absolutely."
Roy Ascott, Ars electrónica Prize, 1995
A general movement of virtualization has begun to af fect not only the fields of information and communica tion but also our physical presence and economic activities, as well as the collective framework of sensi bility and the exercise of intelligence. The process of virtualization has even affected our modalities of being together, the constitution of a collective "we" in the form of virtual communities, virtual corporations, vir tual democracy. Although the digitization of messages and the extension of cyberspace play an important role in the ongoing change, the wave of virtualization tak ing place extends far beyond the field of information technology.
Is there a reason to fear a general process of de realization, a kind of all-encompassing disappearance, as Jean Baudrillard has suggested? Are we threatened by the looming presence of a cultural apocalypse, by the terrifying implosion of space-time, which Paul Virilio has been talking about for the past several years? This book assumes a different, noncatastrophic point of view. As we enter the third millennium, societies throughout the world are undergoing various forms of cultural evolution. Despite the undeniably bleak and terrifying aspects of such change, the process of hom- inization continues.
Never before have the technological, economic, and social changes around us occurred so rapidly or been so destabilizing. Virtualization itself represents the essence, the cutting edge of the mutation taking place. As such, virtualization is neither good nor bad, nor even neutral, but manifests itself as the very pro cess of humanity's "becoming other"— its heterogene sis. In place of fear, condemnation, or unquestioning acceptance, I am asking that we take the trouble to rec ognize and understand virtualization in all its breadth.
Introduction 13
The Nature of Virtualization 21
The Virtualization of the Body 35
The Virtualization of the Text 45
The Virtualization of the Economy 65
Language, Technology, Contract 89
The Operations of Virtualization or the Anthropological Trivium 101
The Virtualization of Intelligence and the Constitution of the Subject 119
The Virtualization of Intelligence and the Constitution of the Object 147
The Ontological Quadrivium: Virtualization as Transformation 167
Epilogue: Welcome to the Virtual 181 Annotated Bibliography 189
Index 199
About the Author 208