Technological fictions, ontological politics: Daniel Galera and Isabelle Stengers

Abstract

From Daniel Galera’s novella “Tóquio” (2021), this article discusses the developments of technological ontologies with the help of Isabelle Stengers’ analysis in “The challenge of ontological politics”. Mainly, the novella aims to extends ontological investigation to beings created outside traditional biological schemes, or forms of artificial intelligence and its pretentions to access humanity. The specific context, given by the novelist’s speculative fiction, posits ethical dilemmas that can be linked to Stengers’ text, mainly by arguments about the extension of the concept of humanity and the consequences of the modern scientific discourse. Ontology and fiction unite in an approach that departs from the essential question of whatever can be considered human in a scenario ruined by the nature/culture division. Approximating the two authors points to the needs of situating discussions about technology and humanity in the large scope of the critic towards modern science and the possible empathy for other worlds.