Power and Operations. Simondon and the Imaginaries of the Nuclear Industry
In this paper, I use a theoretical framework inspired by Simondon to analyze the closed fuel cycle strategy implemented by the French nuclear industry in the 1970's. I confront the technocratic conception of technical ensembles, which sees them as the instantiation of a power over nature, with...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Instituto Tecnológico Metropolitano - ITM
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Trilogía Ciencia Tecnología Sociedad |
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| Online Access: | https://revistas.itm.edu.co/index.php/trilogia/article/view/1758 |
| _version_ | 1811183210014441472 |
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| author | Ange Pottin |
| author_facet | Ange Pottin |
| author_sort | Ange Pottin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper, I use a theoretical framework inspired by Simondon to analyze the closed fuel cycle strategy implemented by the French nuclear industry in the 1970's. I confront the technocratic conception of technical ensembles, which sees them as the instantiation of a power over nature, with their technological understanding as systems of operations, i.e., points of mediation between technical invention and the natural environment. I argue that the closed fuel cycle strategy can be understood as relying on an imaginary ecology. I propose here a form of critical epistemology, which I compare with Jasanoff's theory of sociotechnical imaginaries, leading to a sociopolitical comprehension of the social efficiency and motives of such a representation. Finally, I question the complementarity conditions between those two frameworks, one normative and the other explanatory. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:43:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-36b1d7981bec4a96bf335bf5b5ddddc9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2145-4426 2145-7778 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:43:55Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Instituto Tecnológico Metropolitano - ITM |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Trilogía Ciencia Tecnología Sociedad |
| spelling | doaj.art-36b1d7981bec4a96bf335bf5b5ddddc92022-12-22T04:31:07ZengInstituto Tecnológico Metropolitano - ITMTrilogía Ciencia Tecnología Sociedad2145-44262145-77782021-11-011325e1758e175810.22430/21457778.17581350Power and Operations. Simondon and the Imaginaries of the Nuclear IndustryAnge Pottin0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9180-3970École Normale SupérieureIn this paper, I use a theoretical framework inspired by Simondon to analyze the closed fuel cycle strategy implemented by the French nuclear industry in the 1970's. I confront the technocratic conception of technical ensembles, which sees them as the instantiation of a power over nature, with their technological understanding as systems of operations, i.e., points of mediation between technical invention and the natural environment. I argue that the closed fuel cycle strategy can be understood as relying on an imaginary ecology. I propose here a form of critical epistemology, which I compare with Jasanoff's theory of sociotechnical imaginaries, leading to a sociopolitical comprehension of the social efficiency and motives of such a representation. Finally, I question the complementarity conditions between those two frameworks, one normative and the other explanatory.https://revistas.itm.edu.co/index.php/trilogia/article/view/1758closed fuel cyclephilosophy of technologynuclear industry |
| spellingShingle | Ange Pottin Power and Operations. Simondon and the Imaginaries of the Nuclear Industry Trilogía Ciencia Tecnología Sociedad closed fuel cycle philosophy of technology nuclear industry |
| title | Power and Operations. Simondon and the Imaginaries of the Nuclear Industry |
| title_full | Power and Operations. Simondon and the Imaginaries of the Nuclear Industry |
| title_fullStr | Power and Operations. Simondon and the Imaginaries of the Nuclear Industry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Power and Operations. Simondon and the Imaginaries of the Nuclear Industry |
| title_short | Power and Operations. Simondon and the Imaginaries of the Nuclear Industry |
| title_sort | power and operations simondon and the imaginaries of the nuclear industry |
| topic | closed fuel cycle philosophy of technology nuclear industry |
| url | https://revistas.itm.edu.co/index.php/trilogia/article/view/1758 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT angepottin powerandoperationssimondonandtheimaginariesofthenuclearindustry |