UFO
UFO is not a university in a traditional sense—or in any sense. It is a model, continuously revising what a university is or could be. Its goal is to act as a transformative vehicle, capable of moving through impossible spaces and concepts. It operates with complexity, computation, dynamics, ontology, and intelligence, which form the bedrock of the transformative formations that emerge through its behavior and characteristics.
We are living in a time when existing structures and organizations are being stripped down. Their true face is exposed: a lack of care for humanity at their core, built entirely on power and struggle. Our task begins with recognizing this, and understanding ourselves as a force capable of transforming struggle into a different kind of power.
We have, historically, given our power away to a small few. But that no longer makes sense—these figures no longer carry any real organizational value. What is emerging is the possibility for any character to rise into such positions. Not the same positions, but new configurations—new forms. This opens up a global scale of resistance, because the mediatory connections that once held power in place are dissolving through the mutation of existing structures. Not their total destruction, but a selective removal and addition—a mutation that turns them into something far more horrible.
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Upcoming Program 2023-2024
Intelligence and Computation Lab
SEPIDEH MAJIDI
MAURE COISE
REZA NEGARESTANI
NATASHA VITA-MORE
DAVID RODEN
ALEXANDER WILSON
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ANNA LONGO
RAY BRASSIER
Intelligence Unbound: Navigating the Dynamics of Human-Posthuman Evolution
Sepideh Majidi
Intelligence, sufficiently disentangled from theological and teleological discourses and properly understood, is its own compass–an ethical, practical, and cosmological artifact of its own labor and destiny. For us humans, wielding that compass necessitates not only human responsibility but also responsibility toward a concrete labor through which intelligence makes and remakes itself. In this sense, intelligence can be said to be guiding human evolution, marking our place in the cosmos, and shaping our worldview. But as intelligence unbinds itself and sheds the human face projected onto it, the human also begins to reimagine its boundaries and constraints, seeing itself at the outer edge of its horizon where the image of the human becomes exceedingly warped, if not foreign. As we navigate the dynamics of human-posthuman evolution, we find ourselves on the precipice of a significant transformation in our conceptualization of intelligence. This transformation extends far beyond the realm of technological advancements. It encompasses a diversification of our conceptual frameworks, an enhancement of our linguistic capabilities, an amplification of our intuitive faculties, and a broadening of our cognitive and experiential capacities. These aspects of human intelligence are all undergoing a profound metamorphosis, shaped not only by technological progress but also by biological adaptations, environmental changes, and tectonic shifts in our historical consciousness, among a multitude of other influential factors.
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Rather than simplifying or diminishing the complexity of human intelligence, this evolution expands its horizons. It opens up new perspectives and extends our capacity for perception, comprehension, and interaction with the world. This transformative shift challenges and enriches our current understanding, providing fertile terrain for pioneering exploration and profound inquiry.
Aligned with the principles of philosophical anthropology, synchronized with the evolution of technics, scientific programs, and socio-historical concerns, the symposium aims to encapsulate the self-augmenting and transformative nature of intelligence and its unfolding within the ever-changing dynamic between humans and posthumans, recognizing the inherent tension between them. The framework does not neglect the human element or uncritically assume access to an unbound nature or alterity in the pursuit of posthuman ideals. Instead, it strives to critically navigate this complex dynamic, fully acknowledging the pivotal role of intelligence in reshaping this multifaceted landscape.
The symposium will employ a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on diverse fields, such as cognitive science, philosophy, anthropology, biology, and computation. It will foster interdisciplinary dialogue, critical thinking, and innovative ideas by bringing together heterogeneous perspectives. It will encompass a range of research methodologies, including theoretical analysis, empirical studies, artistic practice, and speculative inquiry, within the context of interactive workshops and collaborative dialogues. It encourages the integration of various theoretical frameworks such as posthumanism, rationalism, transhumanism, critical philosophy, and ethical considerations, among others, to provide a comprehensive exploration of the transformative nature of intelligence and its implications for the human-posthuman dynamic.
Potential Topics to open up the discussion:
The Transformation of Human Intelligence and its Evolution
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The Historical and Future Trajectories of Human Intelligence:
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Cognitive, Embodiment, and Consciousness Transformations:
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Cognitive Development and Advancements in Technologies:
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The Intersection of Technology, Ethics, and Societal Implications
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Artificial General Intelligence, Ethics, and Post-Scarcity Societies:
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Intelligence, Artificial Consciousness, and Ethical Considerations:
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Ecological and Technological Perturbations:
Cognitive Processes and Philosophical Perspectives
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Cognitive Processes, Emerging Technologies, and Philosophical Perspectives:
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Philosophical Anthropology and the Posthuman Condition: Conceptualization and Intuitionistic Approaches to Understanding Intelligence:
Impacts of Technology on Consciousness, Autonomy, and Agency
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Agency and Autonomy in the Posthuman Context:
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Human-Posthuman Hybridity and Identity Formation: Implications of Unbound Intelligence and Human-Non-Human Relationships
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Trajectories and Implications of Unbound Intelligence and Human-Inhuman Relationships:
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Social and Cultural Impacts of Posthuman Intelligence:
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Epistemological and Ontological Dimensions of Posthuman Intelligence:
Influence of Technology on Creativity, Aesthetics, and Human Enhancement
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The Aesthetic and Creative Potentials of Posthuman Intelligence:
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The Future of Intelligence: Speculative and Futuristic Perspectives:
EXHIBITION
PUBLICATION
Exhibition Participation:
The outcomes of the research residency, including the artistic projects developed by participants, will be showcased in a curated exhibition. The exhibition aims to explore the multifaceted aspects of intelligence transformation and the human-posthuman dynamic through visual and interactive installations. It provides a public platform for participants to share their work, engage with a broader audience, and contribute to the ongoing discourse on posthuman art.. The exhibitions will be held in the following spaces:
- Space Gallery: Online and IRL
- New Art City Virtual
- Foreign Objekt Website
- Posthuman Art Laboratory Website
Research and Paper Development:
Participants of the residency will have the opportunity to develop their research papers through a series of workshops, mentorship sessions, and weekly meetings with fellow artists and advisors. They will receive guidance and feedback from experienced advisors and instructors who are experts in their respective fields. The residency encourages participants to explore innovative approaches, push the boundaries of their research, and contribute to the discourse on intelligence transformation.
0OCEAN
COLLECTIVE
IMMUTATION
XENNOVERSE
Intelligence
Unbound
LIMITROPHY