Lyotard and the 21st Century

Marking the centenary of Jean-François Lyotard (1924-1998), this special issue of Technophany reconsiders the philosopher's work from within the technological condition of the twenty-first century. Edited by Pieter Lemmens and Yuk Hui, it brings together ten contributions that move beyond the familiar label of postmodernism to examine the continuing force of Lyotard's thought for contemporary philosophy, aesthetics, politics and media theory. The essays return to key concepts including the differend, the figural, infancy, anamnesis, paganism, the inhuman and performativity. Across discussions of artificial intelligence, digital networks, technological acceleration, the exteriorisation of knowledge, the Anthropocene, counter-cartography and avant-garde art, the contributors ask what forms of thought and resistance remain possible under the expanding demands of the techno-economic system. Lyotard and the 21st Century traces how his unfinished paths can illuminate present struggles over technological singularism, ecological crisis, distributed knowledge and the relation between human and machinic intelligence. The volume will be of interest to readers in contemporary continental philosophy, critical theory, philosophy of technology, aesthetics, media studies and the environmental humanities.