Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

9-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Program

Digital Humanities

Advisor

Matthew Gold

Subject Categories

Continental Philosophy | Digital Humanities

Abstract

This thesis is an attempt to understand why there does not seem to be enough will to take proper action in light of the information we have about the destructive effects of the Anthropocene, in particular: climate change and the destruction of biodiversity. It is an attempt to follow the injunctions of French philosopher Bernard Stiegler to re-examine and re-evaluate knowledge in terms of the primary role of technics in human experience, and to preliminarily situate the digital humanities within such a project. In this paper, I investigate Sigmund Freud's concepts of cathexis, decathexis, and hyper-cathexis as psychic mechanisms whereby action is made possible by symbolizing unconscious phenomena. I introduce my own concept of "hypo-cathexis" to account for the de-symbolization and inaction taking place in the Anthropocene. I then put these ideas in conversation with Donald Winnicott, for whom all psychic health or illness is dependent on a certain relationship to the technical object understood as a transitional object. For him, symbolization is also the key to active participation on life, but symbolization relies on a process of idealization and temporalization made possible by the facilitating environment structured by the transitional object and the devoted love of a caretaker. I follow these concepts with questions about how (if all cathexis, decathexis, hyper-cathexis, and hypo-cathexis depends on the socio-technical facilitating environment) these faculties might be affected by a milieu that is becoming more and more digital. Without settling these questions, I try to open up a dialogue about how the nature of digital technology is making symbolization, idealization, and thus conscious will impossible in the Anthropocene.

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