An Ecological Technology – A Conversation with James Bridle
Jan 7, 2025
auto_awesome
In this engaging conversation, James Bridle, a writer and technologist, examines how our view of intelligence shapes technology. He critiques the human-centric approach, arguing for embracing diverse forms of intelligence and interconnectedness with nature. The discussion dives into decentralized systems and the importance of moving beyond binary thinking in tech. Bridle emphasizes solidarity with non-human beings and highlights individual agency in tackling ecological crises, advocating for hope and innovative solutions in our relationship with technology.
The prevailing anthropocentric view of intelligence limits our understanding of diverse non-human intelligences, impacting technological development.
Today's AI systems often prioritize corporate interests, restricting their potential to foster empathy and acknowledge intricate ecological relationships.
An 'ecology of technology' advocates for recognizing the interconnectedness of tech with social and ecological systems for responsible creation.
Deep dives
Reframing Intelligence Beyond the Human Lens
The concept of intelligence is often confined to human capabilities, which limits our understanding of other forms of intelligence in the natural world. Traditional definitions tend to ignore or downplay the diverse intelligences exhibited by non-human beings, such as cephalopods, plants, and even fungi. This anthropocentric framework shapes not only our perception but also the development of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI). Recognizing a broader spectrum of intelligences could help us reshape technological advancement and foster more respectful relationships with the living world.
The Corporate Model and Its Limitations
Today's AI systems often reflect corporate interests, focusing on extraction, profit, and control which mirrors the combative nature of corporate capitalism. This narrow vision restricts the potential of AI to facilitate a more expansive understanding of intelligence and our interconnections with other beings. By emphasizing profit-driven motives, we risk creating AI that lacks empathy and fails to recognize the intricate relationships present in nature. Exploring alternative approaches to AI may allow for a richer, more equitable incorporation of diverse intelligences.
Embracing Ecology in Technology
The notion of an 'ecology of technology' proposes that technology should consider its interconnectedness with the natural world rather than viewing it in isolation or as an adversary. Recognizing that all technological developments are intertwined with social and ecological systems can shift the focus towards a more responsible creation and application of technology. As disciplines such as biology, sociology, and mathematics have undergone an ecological turn, so too should technology embrace this perspective. By understanding technology's material impacts and responsibilities, we can work towards a more sustainable future.
The Role of Unknowing in Our Relationship with Technology
Acknowledging the limits of our knowledge and control can foster a more humble and interconnected relationship with the natural world, challenging the common fear of the unknown. The call for unknowing advocates for an openness to the mysterious and the unpredictable, fostering deeper empathy and care for non-human lives. This acceptance can ground technological advancements in awareness that transcends mere mastery, nudging us towards collaboration with the natural processes around us. Embracing unknowing shifts our relationship with technology from one of domination to cooperation.
Solidarity with the More-Than-Human World
Solidarity should extend beyond human concerns to acknowledge and include non-human beings, fostering equitable relations in decision-making processes. This necessitates a recognition of the agency and rights of not just fellow humans but all living entities, creating a multi-species political landscape. Solidarity promotes mutual care and understanding, transcending the limitations imposed by human exceptionalism. By working together as a collective that encompasses all life forms, we can strive for justice and sustainability in a shared world.
In this expansive conversation from our archive, writer, artist, and technologist James Bridle looks at how the glorification of our own intelligence has shaped the history of technology, and anticipates in our future an “ecological turn” in the way we view and create it. James draws on principles of decentralized knowledge systems, a redistribution of agency among all beings, and an embrace of what is unknowable to envision how our technology could move away from the reductionism of ones and zeros and towards reflecting other kinds of intelligence and the ways we are intimately connected to the world.