I think Bergson's virtual is just a specific, rigorous way of thinking about our agency in the present as it relates to the past and the future. Some things in the virtual could happen but may never happen. He's not talking about alternate realities or multiple futures. That seems like we are choosing between a number of already pre-determined paths. Instead, we are moment by moment making (or not making) what will become the past. The virtual isn't even "recognized potential," becauase recognized potential has already become real.
>I agree with you here. What is the difference between Bergson's virtual, >though, and the future? > >- Alan > >On Thu, 14 Oct 2010, Curt Cloninger wrote: > >>> For me, all these terms, including 'virtual' and 'real' are rife with >>> problems based on categoricity and ideology - for example following >>> someone like Lingis, I think we're inscribed, that inscription and culture >>> goes all the way up and down, we're permeated, we construct (local) >>> meaning the best we can, we find our way the best we can (sloughing into >>> Wittgenstein or some such). >> >> Hi Alan, >> >> Bergson's "virtual" seems less problematic ideologically, because it >> literally, historically hasn't happened. Once it happens (if it ever >> does), it then gets codified, historicized, analyzed, categorized, >> etc. Until then, who knows how it will fit in ideologically (or what >> it even is)? This could be one argument for letting practice lead. An >> art practice finds its way in dialogue with materials that are >> themselves in dialogue with the world -- a different kind of dialogue >> than philosophy's dialogue with the world. >> _______________________________________________ >> NetBehaviour mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour >> >> > > >== >email archive: http://sondheim.rupamsunyata.org/ >webpage http://www.alansondheim.org >music archive: http://www.espdisk.com/alansondheim/ >== >_______________________________________________ >NetBehaviour mailing list >[email protected] >http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list [email protected] http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
