PhD defence Joris D. Raven

This dissertation is about Realtime reality. More than ever, we are immersed in information and communication everywhere and anytime. Over the last twenty years, so-called real-time technology has taken hold of our time as such. It is this recent development that led the author of this dissertation to question the temporal and existential implications of real-time technology. Our present is exposed through a new timality, real time, and its new time-space, which can be called a 'realtime reality'. This new reality is explored by contrasting the thinking of the German philosopher Martin Heidegger with the poetry of the Dutch poet Sybren Polet. In this way this interpretation of our present unfolds as an exploration of language, technique and time. First of all, we will try to interpret the existential implications of real-time reality with a discussion and appropriation of Heidegger's thinking. A close reading of Polet's avant-garde poetry then inspires a more playful attitude towards new technology. Where Heidegger can teach us to be critical, Polet can inspire us to explore a new temporal practice. Will we really succeed in inhabiting the new reality?

The PhD defence will take place in the Senate hall, but the number of seats for spectators is limited due to corona and must be registered in advance with Jos de Mul (demul@esphil.eur.nl).