Exploring Simondon’s Philosophy of Invention

Abstract

Gilbert Simondon is the first philosopher of technology and invention to explain the beginning of the philosophy of technology by shifting the paradigm of thought from substance to relationship, and claiming that technological entities can solve problems through invention because they are invented entities. This study aims to explore the philosophy of invention of Simondon, a French philosopher of technology, and the research results are as follows. First, in Simondon’s philosophy, ‘individuation’ is a key concept that characterizes relational thinking. It is an operation transductive that resolves the problems of inconsistency, incompatibility, tension and conflict inherent in metastable systems through ontotogenesis. Second, the invention concept is a transformation operation that solves problems by creating a new structure by mediating and establishing relationships between things that are difficult to communicate because of incompatible, inconsistent and disparity. Third, technological invention is a process that transcends the individual’s mind, and is achieved through the inventive ‘imagination’ of problemsolving of successive inventors who communicate through existing technological objects. Fourth, an ideal society through invention is a ‘society of individual creators of technological existence’, united through the medium of technological entities, and humans communicate through their inventions. Lastly, in order to overcome the obstacles to the limitless possibilities of inventive imagination and social change, it is necessary to create a foundation for a balanced technology culture by implementing technology literacy education from school education in the dimension of inventive imagination.