...... CRITICAL DIGITALITY: FROM THE VIRTUAL TO THE DIGITAL } Jorge F. Maldonado Serrano } Dairon A. Rodríguez Ramírez ] Universidad Industrial de Santander, Grupo Tiempo Cero

Abstract This paper argues that the idea of “virtual” or “virtuality” belongs to a theoretical perspective that intends to explain components of the phenomenon of technological society nowadays. Firstly, the digital perspective is explained in its ontological basic structure: binary codes that organize a physical set or hardware according to logical rules, therefore the idea of a network society, virtual communication and digital human beings are concepts that are not really grasping the problem of the digital technology in our society. A digital perspective assumes the need to understand digital technology in its physical functioning, which allows a complete picture of the problem and enables the subsequent critical analysis of the virtual perspective. Secondly, the virtual perspective is analyzed from the digital perspective to its main metaphysical assumptions: simulation, as a presupposed moral ideal; and functionality, as a presupposed instrumental ideal. Finally, the conclusion explains the possibilities given by the digital perspective in order to assume new challenges of the digital universe, in contrast to a virtual perspective which would pre-limit such possibilities to previous needs to be satisfied. Thus, this paper rather than showing a well-defined argument it urges a reorientation of our notions of the virtual and the digital.

Keywords: digital; virtual; simulation; codes; hardware; software.

Recibido: 16 de diciembre de 2016. Aprobado: 19 de mayo de 2017.

Praxis Filosófica Nueva serie, No. 45 Suplemento, julio-diciembre 2017: 145 - 163 (D): 2389-9387 (I): 0120-4688 / ISSN ISSN DOI: 10.25100/pfilosófica.v0i45S.6131 Digitalidad crítica: de lo virtual a lo digital

Resumen En este artículo se afirma que la idea de ‘virtual’ o de ‘virtualidad’ pertenece a una perspectiva teórica que pretende explicar los componentes del fenómeno de la sociedad tecnológica de hoy en día. En primer lugar, la perspectiva digital es explicada en su estructura ontológica básica: códigos binarios que organizan un set de elementos físicos o un hardware de acuerdo con reglas lógicas. Por ende, la idea de sociedad en red, comunicación virtual y seres humanos digitales son conceptos que no aprehenden realmente el problema de la tecnología digital en nuestra sociedad. Una perspectiva digital asume la necesidad de entender la tecnología digital en su funcionamiento físico, lo que permite una representación completa del problema y permite el análisis crítico subsecuente de la perspectiva virtual. En segundo lugar, la perspectiva virtual es analizada desde la perspectiva digital hasta en sus principales suposiciones metafísicas: la simulación, como un ideal moral presupuesto, y la funcionalidad, como una idea instrumental presupuesta. Finalmente, la conclusión explica las posibilidades dadas por la perspectiva digital en aras de asumir nuevos retos en el universo digital, en contraste con una perspectiva virtual que podría pre- limitar dichas posibilidades para que necesidades previas sean satisfechas. Por ende, este artículo, antes que mostrar un argumento bien definido, exhorta a la reorientación de nuestras nociones acerca de lo virtual y de lo digital. Palabras clave: digital; virtual; simulación; códigos; hardware; software.

Jorge Francisco Maldonado Serrano. Profesor asociado de la Universidad Industrial de Santander y miembro del Grupo Tiempo Cero. Doctor en filosofía por la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Dirección electrónica: [email protected] y [email protected]. Dairon Alfonso Rodríguez Ramírez. Profesor asociado de la Universidad Industrial de Santander. Doctor en humanidades por la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. Dirección electrónica: [email protected] CRITICAL DIGITALITY: FROM THE VIRTUAL TO THE DIGITAL1

Jorge F. Maldonado Serrano Dairon A. Rodríguez Ramírez Universidad Industrial de Santander, Grupo Tiempo Cero

Is the idea of virtuality (the virtual) sufficient to understand all the problems surrounding new technologies? In this paper we claim that the idea of virtuality does not concern the problematic of new technologies; on the contrary, virtuality diverts our understanding of such problems. We identify the virtual perspective as the object of discussion in this paper. To accomplish our goal, which is to make a critique of virtuality, we will propose that with the concept of ‘digitality’ problems about new technologies can be better understood; for example, the moral debate around technologies can be overcome, or at least, put on a different plane on which it would be easier to be solved; we will call this the digital perspective. In general terms, we consider that the idea of virtuality focuses on the external aspect of the phenomenon, whilst digitality implies a clear and precise ontology as a starting point from which more abstract and superior levels of discussion can be fairly developed. Virtuality is an exclusive concept because it does not conjugate the subjective perception that humans have of technology with an objective explanation of the technical and physical phenomena.

1 The authors would like to acknowledge the invaluable support given to this research by the Universidad Industrial de Santander and the research group Tiempo Cero. This is a preliminary result of the research project „Etnography of the subjectivities in the Digital Thought“ (Etnografía de las subjetividades en el pensamiento digital), funded by the Industrial University of Santander, Bucaramanga (Universidad Industrial de Santander) (Research code: 1764) . 148 Jorge F. Maldonado Serrano - Dairon A. Rodríguez Ramírez (Research code:1764). Industrial University of Santander, Bucaramanga (Universidad Industrial de Santander) digital), fundedbythe enelpensamiento subjetividades Thought“ (Etnografíadelas preliminary result of the research project „Etnography of the subjectivities in the Digital by the Universidad Industrial de Santander and the research group Tiempo Cero. This is a is to territorialize (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987) (networking) as its true specificity. Instead, the main characteristic of Internet establish all those networksbyitself and therefore we cannotassumethis though theinternet dwellsthepreviouscommunicational webs, itdoesnot and uniqueway,a new whichisthedigitalization. even In otherwords, plane on whichall previous formsofcommunication have converged into previous webs or networks. The internet has become a digital ground or internet can incorporatewithinitsdigital capabilities, and thankstothem, characteristic is thatitadigitalized network ubiquitous network,theinternet’s coreisfoundsomewhere else:itscentral networks, not being the set itself. Even when weusually think of it as a Is beinganetworkitsmain character? The internet belongs tothesetof suffice asabasiccharacteristicoftheinternet? Networks existedpriortointernet. Why doestheidea of network doesnot we inquireintoitscharacteristics,nevertheless,suchfactcannotbeassumed. network, just as if it were its unique essence, or exclusive specificity. But if WWW and,inthiscontext, internet is understoodessentially asawebor Wide Web. To thinkoftheinternet,formostpeople,istoabout that have been mostly used and through which it is best known isthe World machines tocommunicate with eachother. Oneofthesystemsorservices computers connected through aseriesofstandardized protocols enabling massive communication media network. As such,itisbasically a webof we can understand the internet. The internet is normally understood as a 1. A digitalperspective metaphysical, from themediated to theimmediate, from reality to thereal. Digitality, onthecontrary, isinclusive, for itmovesfromthephysicalto the orchid,where theinstantinwhichpollination occurs, thankstothelinkbetweenthese assembled nor connected. Deleuze explanatory example is the relation between the wasp and iftheyareneither as thesame theycannotbeunderstood plays apartinmutualassemblage, beings, sothatnoneofthemis more important than theother. Onthecontrary, eachone A Thousand Plateaus. This concept explains a relation between two ormore heterogeneous 3 2 We usetheconceptofterritorializationasDeleuzeand Guattariconstructitintheirwork The authors would like to acknowledge the invaluable support given to this research Let usassumetheinternet as amassmediacommunication system. The origin of our proposal refers to an intriguing reflection on the way 2 . Butthereismoretoitasthe 3 all the communicational communality ofsignals. frequency enables repetition and error correction; and transformation grants speed; and codification allows intensity Electrical transformation. and intensity, frequency its digitality: of specificity the constitute that aspects the digitalmanipulationofit. This technicaldevelopmenthasthreeimportant important ashumansconstructedacompletelynewrelation withelectricity: formation ofanelectricalsociety(McLuhan,1962)the two lastdecadeswere century, XX the of the half and first the during networks electricity of rise endeavor to grasp the ontological basic structure of the digital. Given the a proper understanding of that physical support isa key component in any see. have wecometodothisandmakeithappen?Letus network. But,how implies theintegrationofpreviouscommunicationalwebsinasingle not setbyitselfthecommunicationalnetwork.Inanycase,homogenization communicational networkasitincreasesitsscopeandfrequency, butitdoes digital information. as signals, digital as homogenized are they digitally codified or radio, telephone andotherkindsofcommunications aretransformed possibility insofar asthere is aprocessofdigitalization. Thus, astelevision, the samedigitalplane;connectionbetweenthesepriornetworksisa beenplacedon etc.,has radio, cinema,telephone,education,science, the great advance with this territorialization is that everything television, connection, transmissionandstorageofelectricpulsesordata.Inthissense, digital code to properly work as such. There is always a Hardware/Software but allformatshavesimilar physical processes thatarenecessaryforany sound orimageasbinaryinformationisstandardized. of codification the but equal, are formats all not that obvious is It signals. the digitalization underastandardcodeofall the existing audio andvideo achieved have we nowadays example, For is. surely networks previous of by the internet, rather digitalizing a networkand digitalizing other forms into a homogeneous system. Networking is not something new established networks ona digital plane because it has the capacity to transform them assembled, asin theInternet. this case,communication networks are not the same thing as whenthey are digitalized and two beings,isontologically different fromthe wasp when isseparated from the orchid. In V), notbytheirspeed.Mainly becauseallenergy travelsatalmostthespeed normal or metric energetic flows by means of their size or intensities (±5 – 12 On the one hand, electric digital flows must be distinguished from distinguished be must flows digital electric hand, one the On Digitality hasitsownphysicalsupport. And aswealreadyhaveinsisted, It isobviousthat this processtowardshomogenization strengthens the formats, video and audio among differences deep are indeed There

Critical digitality: from the virtual to the digital 149 150 Jorge F. Maldonado Serrano - Dairon A. Rodríguez Ramírez have considered that theyaredigital beings because oftheirextended use as science teaches us sofar, theDNA code.Paradoxically, sometheorists composed ofzeroesandones,butbyamuchmorecomplex code,let’ssay, are not digital beings because ourexistence is not given by adigital code humans, asanalogical beings, can access digital information. In fact, we is worthremembering what digital information is andwhatitmeansthat can be compressed to various types of files using a conversion software. It of text can be read by different word processors if a conversion is done, music but, at least theoretically, formats can be translated from one to another: files of energy frombeginningtoend)isarrangedorformattedinparticular ways information can be translated. This entails that all digital information (flows that receivesit. that when it reaches its destination the signal is rebuilt, remade in the device fact the on but repowering a constant on depend not flow, does codified it physical obstacles can be surpassed.Since digital signal is transmitted as a until the end of the connection; even in wireless transmissions, like WiMAX, the conductorsfordigitalinformedenergy areabletotransmitthesignal comes to optic fiber digital connections this is no longer necessary, because connections require direct visual interlace between antennae, but when it air signals, television in example, For greater. is sense, precise a in also is the possibility to verify and correct. Thus, the scope of the digital network, repetition ismuchgreaterthaninanalogicalnetworks,theimportantfeature exactly the samemessage. Although inadigital network, theaccuracy in of frequency, that is, it allows an augmentation of the possibilities to repeat within thewebisreinforcedinregardstoanyanalogiccommunicativeweb. their logical relationships have become more complex, the increase ofspeed signals. Accordingly, as semiconductor microchips have been qualified and are smaller, communication speed increasesincomparisontoanalogical informed energy according to certain digital code. Because energy packets means that energy does not flow raw; rather, it means that electricity becomes allows the digital code of zeroes and onestobeapplied to energy, which flow, it is possible to differentiate energy packets accurately and faster. This of light depending on themedium.But,withthislowintensity electrical digital, mainly because we are always alien to the digital universe, for we the extended useof digital devices isnotenoughtoconsiderhumanity as perspective, our From it. with agree could we understood is claim last this totherestofhumanity(Clark,2004).But,depending onhow conclusion of devices that follow a digital code and they try to expand that very same Finally, digital signal is, in a sense, a common signal to which all which to signal common a sense, a in is, signal digital Finally, On the other hand, the gain of fast coded energy flow entails an increase 2. The virtualperspective perspective. the oppositeperspective we mean to discuss,whichwewillcall the virtual of this paper. We will call this the digital perspective. Let us have a look at point; obviously, it is anarguable assumption; but it will be the cornerstone digital universeiswithintheanalogicworld. the that fact Finally,the perceiving.recall of to way worth analog is our it when itisnolonger digital information; that is, whenit is taken back to we canaccesstothesameinformation once itisdigitalized but,infact, but asusers,weonlyperceiveanalogic phenomenon. analogic beings, As Concluding thisremark,wedonothavedirectaccesstodigitalinformation, on the processing capabilities of its internal DAC (speed, accuracy, etc.). the same CD cansoundmuch better on some sound systems; it all depends Digital Analog Converter or DAC in order to be listened to. That is why on thedevice at home, those zeroes and oneswill be transformed by the do, suchasvinyl, but read it asa bunch of zeroes and ones. Depending CD’s which,technically speaking, donotreadmusicasmagnetic devices the digitalreceiver device it isactualized and analogized. That’s thecaseof repeats information. By the same token, when that information is input in inasmuch asthenormaldeteriorationalwaysisrebuiltateverystationwhich the digital signal, during its process of transmission, does not suffer decay, is better than thatofthesignalstransmitted by analogical devices, because by our cellphone, etc... Hence, the quality of all digital signals, grosso modo, be analogized in situ by our television at home, by the computer in our office, analogic worldinordertobeheard,read,seen,felt,etc. to betransferred,transformedandrecodedfromthedigital universe tothe interact with the analogic world ofhumans. All digital information needs to de-codification a be must also there codification, a ones, and zeroes to metrical dimensions. Inotherwords,justasthere has beenatransformation into analogical signalsinordertobeperceived by humansinappropriate universe (MaldonadoSerrano&Rodríguez,2014)oughttobetransformed cannot access it directly. On the contrary, digital information from the digital explain digital phenomenon. Although weagreewith itshermeneutical approach, thispaper virtual reality refer to something different? Delusion permeates our way of understanding 4 Adriano Fabris has elaborated a different critique to the use of the idea of virtual to virtual of idea the of use the to critique different a elaborated has Fabris Adriano So, what is virtual reality? What does ‘virtuality’ mean? Dothese terms Thus, wehaveintroduced our mainassumptionwhich isourstarting Thus, inordertobeperceived byoursenses,digitalinformationhasto 4 . The regulatory ideal of all our actions in itsfavoristhat we

Critical digitality: from the virtual to the digital 151 152 Jorge F. Maldonado Serrano - Dairon A. Rodríguez Ramírez virtuality. While itseems anassumptionderivedfromthepreviousone,it the virtual. The previousdistinction leads usintothefunctional aspect of and politicaladvantages. concept ofdelusionagainstanoriginaltherewould be economical, legal be atacit moral principle; inasmuch asvirtuality is understoodunderthis original willalwaysbepresentevenifwecannotdetect it. This would is notthesuppressionoforiginal, but precisely the opposite,that the seems ofgreat importance for theargumentation because theconsequence theoriginalandcopy. between arenotabletodistinguish even ifwe This underpins this conception. Always, at least ideally, there would be an original other, the idea that one isthebestdelusion,whileotheroriginal that even in the case when we could not distinguish between one and the hand, a strong distinction between reality and virtuality is held. This means comprehension of the digital universe is not easily achieved. On the one by thesametoken,suchinternalcorruptionexplainswhyanaccurate consolidating it; such ideal corrupts thecomprehension of virtuality. And, Ironically, these assumptions undermine the idea of virtuality instead of a delusionwithrespecttothedigital. of thiscritique todevelopsuchatest,inpartbecauseweseeideal the fulfillment of the ideal would be needed. However, it is out of the scope virtualization achieved by certain couple of hardware/software; quality a the test to measure confirm to order in reached is intelligence artificial not or which, throughaconversation, itcouldbepossibletodeterminewhether it should bedeceived. We shoulddevelop something like a Turing Test, in what is virtual and what is real; perception has to be the subject ofdeception, seems tobefoundintheideathat perception cannot distinguish between virtuality ideal?answer issimple:delusion(Turkle, Our 2009).Everything rest ofuscannotdistinguish between the reality and its virtual counterpart. this regulatory ideal: justa few can go out of virtual reality bounds, while the reality is. ‘The Matrix’ trilogy of the Wachowski sisters exemplifies clearly not, no matter how advanced the technology in charge of producing virtual cannot distinguishbetweenwhatitispresentedtousasvirtualand has a different scope, for it is not a historical critique but a technical critique (Fabris, 2009). Evidently, itisnecessary tospecifythevarietyofimplications underthis function asitservestothegoal ofsimulatingsomethingbelongingtoreality. human or social a have to seems just digital The significance. own its has On the other hand, functionality is the second interpretation given to assumptions. basic two least at find can we ideal such Structuring the of core the is What idea. basic a core, a find we ideal this Under reason, itisclear that theproblemposedbetweencopyandoriginal this For think. and learn beings human way the in rooted act, human a is have theexperience of makingexactcopiesorsimulating. Simulation the eye.Inthissense,itwasnotnecessarytowaituntil thedigital era to how towrite implies the necessity tocopywiththe hand whatisseenby particularly, once it reached the level ofprinting (McLuhan, 1962). Learning a must. Perhaps, the most ambitious enterprise has been the alphabet itself, original design forevery subject that belongs to a particular human group is looking forward to maintain uniformity up to a certain degree; copying an those ofarmiesbutalsoinothergroupsandsocialclasses whicharealways walking, running or talking. We can also find copying in wardrobes, not just dance and thetheater. Basic human behavior is learned by simulation, as in practices, and even in the interpretative and repetitive exercises of music, be naturally humane. We see it in art, both in naturalistic or hyper-realistic 2.1. Theproblemofsimulatingreality assumptions. reality itself, by meansofdigital media. Now let’s seeeachoneofthese relationship from thecopytoreal; rather it meansanenlargement of digital phenomenon. Even more, the expression ‘virtual’ doesnot imply a that theconcept ofvirtual is notenoughasaguidance to understandthe actual social phenomenon proper. The critique here proposedcould show perspective distorts thephenomenonofdigital and doesnotexplain the prevents usfromapproachingtodigitality. This meansthatthevirtual are presentedasthelimit to understandthedigital. In thissense,virtuality relation toitsfunctionalityforhumans,bothdeserveastrongcritiqueasthey and the instrumental, which consists in interpreting the digital always in original, the and copy the between difference the digital the of boundaries be achieved,accordingtotheregulatoryideal. supposed replacement it makes of reality, even if the substitution could not would bepresented as animprovement for human existence thanks tothe as functionality impliesaninstrumental understanding; therefore,virtuality assumption, but for now this would be enough. Here we find that virtuality obvious, simulationitselfhas beenacommonwaytointerpretit.But,does core of digitality? Even if the relationship copy-original is not by any means is notaproblemwhichinitself hasarisenasanexclusiveaspectofdigitality. Thus, howtounderstandthe assumptionthat conceives delusion asa The ambition to makeexactcopiesandsimulate reality, seemsto Both assumptions,themoral,whichconsistsinmaintaining withinthe

Critical digitality: from the virtual to the digital 153 154 Jorge F. Maldonado Serrano - Dairon A. Rodríguez Ramírez forget that human perception is three dimensionally and metrically limited: to predict,probe,learn,entertain. Despite theformer, weshouldnot flight simulators, financialexample, simulators, etc.for Simulation isthing, an excellentanother tool to were train, it if as something experiences phenomena. and thereforenosimulationbyitselfeverconstitutes aduplicationof are sayingisthatsimulation is unabletoduplicate some featuresofreality by simulation: strong program of artificial intelligence, denies that reality could be replaced understood very well by JohnSearle when, criticizing what he called the that thesimulation is nottherealthingbeing simulated as such. This was is a digital simulation of any phenomenon, humans will always understand for theformerisadiscreteseries,whilelastcontinuity. Evenifthere simulation attributedtovirtualitywillneverachievethecontinuumofreality, between simulationandvirtuality. We havetoinsist,however, thatthe idea ofvirtuality becomes suspiciouslyclear, foritpretendsinseparability inseparable from digitality. Inparticular, nowadays,whenit is used,the of simulations, it seemed that the concepts of copy and simulation are can understandtheflawinideaofvirtualitymuchbetter. if weexamine this particular way ofcopying,assimulation seems tobe,we in theanalogicalexperienceofworldwithoutanappealtodigitality. But digitality. canbeeasilyfound The capacitytomakeappearor‘asif’, Simulation, understood asa particular way ofcopying, is independent from this mean that simulation can be understood as a copy? Not exclusively. is easytobeseduced by thisidea of digitalization as the perfect medium due to digitalization the perceptual limits of humanscan be overcome. It seen, heard or felt, beyond what is actually seen, heard or felt. Precisely, there are soundedges, visualedgesandtactile edges. There ismoretobe tion ofafire islikelytoburnthehousedown computer simulation of a stormwill leave us all wet, or acomputer simula the computer simulation is actually the real thing; no one supposes that a se fires inEastLondon.Now, ineach of these cases, nobodysupposesthat in theHomeCounties,orwarehoudo computersimulationsofrainstorms economy,party.distribution intheLabour the patternof power or We can So, wecandoacomputersimulationoftheflowmoneyinBritish As we mentionedearlier,As simulating something meansthatperception Consequently, our point is related to that of Searle’s because what we Thanks to the technological developments that led to new forms (Searle,1980) - - the hit; this time-image is found along the first part of the trilogy and it is it and trilogy the of part first the along found is time-image this hit; the is visualized by the camera from multiple perspectives before she delivers time-image. The first scene of this time-image is when Trinity’s kick to a cop time-image. Throughout the movie there are many scenes made up with this In their trilogy, the Wachowski sisters create a new time-image digitality makes possible what analogically is impossible. Again, The Matrix. metric). Let’s see twosimplebutinterestingcases. not giventohumanperception inanalogicreality(threedimensionaland not asvirtuality but asabreakdownofreality towards otherpossibilities usual perception remains open. us thepotentiality This shows of digitality, in a possibility toperceiveanaspectofrealitywhichisnotgivenus i.e., reality, when enlarged, provides us with new perceptions. Thus, the instead it constitutes a reality that makes possible to have new experiences, simulated, because it is not what is experienced by humanperception, but environment is rather a space for configuring a reality which is not strictly of digitality. the senseofsimulation cannot account for what canbeachievedbymeans for ushumans. Thus, wecanstarttounderstandwhytheideaofvirtuality in itself is changed or improved, and therefore reality is enlarged orenhanced of reality, with accuracy pretensions, butthattheexperience of reality in what it is interesting in this case is not that there is a duplication bit-by-bit ideal of aperfectsimulation contains adelusioninitsconstitutive core, of virtuality, presentingitastheonlyrealization of digitality. Infact,ifthe a fatal flaw in the intention of perfect simulation. This flaw inverts the ideal virtuality, withsomedigital realizations, then weshallnote,paradoxically, from realitybecomesconvincing. propermachinestheideathatvirtualitywillbeindiscernible with nowadays perception, and therefore seems to be a perfect simulation? In this way, electric flows up to the point that the digital overcomes the limits of human question is:whyhasdigital technology enabled us tohandlesuchsubtle for simulating reality, andtherefore, to interpret digitality as virtuality. The of time(Deleuze, 1986,1989). movement; not action or thought, but the minimum of action itself to support anexperience in movement, but the capture ofmovement itself with the minimum ofthe physical to support these signs,whichareconcepts,because theyshowuswhatcinemaisabout:notphotographs understand thenovelty of cinema. He argues that cinema can only beunderstoodthrough 5 Gilles Deleuze proposes the key concept of movement-image and time-image to time-image and movement-image of concept key the proposes Deleuze Gilles We can take a look back to the cinema in order to understand how simulation a being of instead digitality words, different in it put To of idea the in find we which ideal, regulatory this compare we if But 5 : the bullet-

Critical digitality: from the virtual to the digital 155 156 Jorge F. Maldonado Serrano - Dairon A. Rodríguez Ramírez exercise inthepopularaesthetics. This wouldhavebeenshapedbycinematic for themoment, may not becomplete. There hasbeenapreparatory daily when werefertosomething beyond reality. However, suchexplanation, the analogical world, butitisperfectly possible insidethedigital universe. but indigitality. The virtualbankasdigital is thebankthatimpossiblein virtuality of realm the in longer no are we that note we difference this in and the sense of virtuality as simulation above mentioned. And precisely bank virtual the for virtuality of meaning real the between difference the unthinkable for the bank out of the digital universe. Here we can appreciate real bank, instead it counts as an enlargement of those possibilities that are money were simulated in an ATM. The virtual bank isnotasimulation of a simulated on Web pages,orifthetime taken bytheteller tocountpaper delusion of a real bank. It would be disastrous if long queues in banks were virtual bankis,fortunately, anythingbutduplication,noracopy circular movementofthecameraisacceptedasifviewerdidit. of digital cinema, bullet-time expands our perception of reality because the cinema. On a daily basis nobody can live in a bullet-time, but as a creation be conceived as aresultofreality but asanexclusively creation of digital employing old analogic means. Therefore, the bullet-time-image could not create to impossible been have would which image-sign new completely way, digital rendering opensanewpossibilityforcinema asitgivesusa a direct manipulation of the set ofimages obtained by digital means. In this of acomplex of couplings between cameras and other devices, resultsfrom cinema techniques. Digital rendering, insteadofbeingachievedbymeans for human perception, it was possible to enhance significantly well-known flow audiovisual on-time an to sounds and images of process calculation images. combination betweencameramanipulationanddigitalof others. The achievement with the bullet-time-image resides in the efficient events were produced through camera tricks, double expositions, zooms and magic of cinema” was that images, situations, characters and impossible improved throughoutthesecondandthirdparts. At itsbeginning,“the this continuous repetitionisresponsible forourtendencytothink that in ordertoenjoythe movie.Maybe what anyspectatorhasto suppose, key tothedigital. A movieislikesomekindofsimulation of reality. That’s order tooverratesimulation asthekeytovirtuality and virtuality as the in given been has shaping non-intentional a where is Cinema experience. Perhaps we can explain why the idea of virtuality has spread so much The second case can be taken from the financial system. The so called Specially, with digital rendering, which is the conversion from a digital exchange. Functionality, in this sense, is always extrinsic to the digital. the to extrinsic always is sense, this in Functionality, exchange. from the world outside the digital universe as it can represent monetary very usefulsoftwareincommercial transactions,forexample, is legalized functionality.Effectively,its of degree the to proportional directly be will of thedigital are regulated, theneedsofdigitalarealsoregulated. uses already sanctionedoutsidethedigitaluniverse.Inthissense, inasmuchasthe and ones,canbeallowedorforbiddeninasmuchitssymbolic content was logical symbols, asgoodorbad. A digital photograph, a sequence of zeroes enables humanity to reckon code, a software or a technical sequence of re-symbolize and symbolize to ability human The excessive. been have duplicate reallifeuptosomedegree,anylegalconstraintapplieditwould universe assuch.Ifthiswouldnothavehadtheabilitytoemulateor digital universe.Mustsanddon’ts aremoralparametersstrangetothedigital from aneconomic,politicalandlegalperspectiveareprojectedontothe 2.2. Theproblemoffunctionality virtuality toseewhyitalsocontradictssuchidea. simulation, reality is configured in new ways of understanding, as models. universe oroflife,permitanewunderstandingrealityitself;here,beyond physical world. Computational simulations of, for example, the origin of the but, for example, digital microscopes lead us to change our view of the micro- partial abandonment of these.Notonlybanksareunderstoodinnewways reality undermines previous perceptual experiences of reality and forces a explaining the enhancement of reality. Rather, adigital enhancement of precisely thepointhereisthatconceptofvirtuality isincapableof But, worlds. possible different in experiences sensory of lot a produces it but reality of simulation one not offers virtuality because defended here experiments andarguments toconfirmthishypothesisthough. of whyvirtuality andsimulation aresotied. We wouldneedtorunmore enough, foritisonlya‘maybe’,weconsiderthisaspossibleexplanation representations have theonlyaimofsimulating reality. Although thisisnot and therefore it overflows the digital withlawsthatarenotthoughtforthe and thereforeitoverflows tries tounderstandwhatlegal normshavetobeassumed within the digital problems around therelationsbetween thelegalanddigital. the The virtualperspective way different a in pose to us enables digitality However, The projection and itssuccessoftheneedsintodigital universe The needsthatthedigital is intendedtomeet aredetermined a priori now proceedtoexamine the secondcomponentofcore Let us At thispoint,apparently a bigproblem arises inthe face of theidea

Critical digitality: from the virtual to the digital 157 158 Jorge F. Maldonado Serrano - Dairon A. Rodríguez Ramírez statement needsitsownfurtherdevelopment. or cloudstorage)tobiological warehouses(thebrain).Unfortunately, this memories flash drives, (hard warehouses physical from transferred being becomes central.Knowledgeisreplacedbyinformation, understoodasthings of howtolearn andwhatamountkind(quality) of information to gain, seems thatthemeaningofthoughtisnolongerimportant; ratherthequestion knowledge is thusunderstood asa thing, not as a process oranevent. It itself. Onceknowledgeisdigitalized,information takes itsplace,and the criticismtheyoncearose. educational practices, former supersededviewswerebroughtbackdespite renewed viewofpedagogical processes. Insteadofbringingnewideasinto software was mainly based on Skinners educational machines, and not on a developments became useful to suffice various needs. This kind of and didacticrenewalsthatthedigitaluniversecouldsupport. conditions (totrainthestudent). The virtualperspectivesilencespedagogical possibilities and the digital universe is determined to function under a priori analogical world. Again, anexternalneedisimposedoverthedigital manifold ofdidacticmediumsareproperametricforthreedimensional highest didacticapproach.Coverage,quality, costs,spacesavinganda Master classes are, at best, video recorded and transmitted online as the place. first in placed blindly now is view pedagogical criticized formerly information becomes the central issue forthis type of education. The most of circulation the and off, called are inquiries Pedagogic predominant. is externally determinedasifithadnothingtogivethefinancialsystem. simply tounderstandwhatdigitalsystemismorereliable. The digitalis,here, lead but model financial the improving towards or itself system the about Questions related tothisissuearenotformulated with regardtothesystem, accepted asinternallimitationsonthedigital. digital universe weaskwhyandhowtheseregulations can and/ormustbe the of perspective the From it. to extrinsic something for but itself digital an electronic excitation but the idea of an electronic flux does not mean that receptor as train wagons fromonestation to the next do. There is obviously digitally. Firstly, consider that electrons do not travel from the source to the another ismisleading. Information isnottransferred, neitherphysicallynor the virtual perspective. The idea of information going from one place to From the digital perspective several aspects become clearer than from A morecomplicated issuearisesfromourunderstandingofknowledge Many other aspects can be taken into account: software learning The example of ‘virtual education’ can also showthat the virtual view A goodexample of thisproblem,again,isthevirtualbankingsystem. simple instrumentalvirtuality by priorneedsestablished outside itandthisishowcanbereducedtoa completed by ourbrains? the information we receive? Or, isit rather a metaphysical reconstruction hear inspokenlanguage,themselves use,arethesoundswe we letters imposed tothedigitaluniverse,weshouldthinkof the alphabet. Are the of physicalscienceandthelike. physical conditions that we have learned to manipulate thanks to the advance decoded. This interpretationisametaphysicalprocesswhichpurportscertain or interpreted is it if only information turns flow electric An content. as way, thedigital perspective shows that information cannot beunderstood must beinterpreted or decoded, for them to be shownastexts.Putitinthis marks texts. electromagnetic the The contain not does example, for PDFs, make things even more difficult, we must recall that a hard drive containing is akindofexact copy ofasymbolic order whichisrepeatedly copied. To universe, wearenottalking about anykindoftransportation. Rather this digital the in “transmission” with that reader the convince to insufficient cannot go here much further into this inquiry, andthese few lines may seem which generates its own flux in accordance to the one found in the CD. We decline. Rather, the registry in a CD is“read”, “interpreted” by a gadget former electromagnetic supports,althoughithasitsowntypeofpossible of itszeroesorones.Itisnotonlythattherenophysicaldamageasin where its registry can be represented in binary code, doesnot lose any This isthemostmetaphysical aspectofthedigital. A CD,forexample, does notmakesense,therefore,tothinkinatransmissionofzeroesandones. which istheelectronic pulse, butthezeroesdonothavesuchreference. It binary system. We alsoknowthatonlytheoneshaveaphysicalreference, a under codified been has it that know flux. already directed We a allows an electron is not transmitted. Nevertheless, the interactive play of electrons the sameelectronmovesfromsourcetoreceptor. Strictlyspeaking, this sensevirtuality wouldbethedisfunctionalmisconception ofthedigital. would bethe aspect of the contemporary functional system, as thought by Baudrillard. In the disfunctional system, orofthe symbolization ofthedigital (Baudrillard, 1996).Digitality to Rodriguez,et. Al. (Rodríguez,Hemorsillo,&Lara,2012). 7 6 These are the same questions Searle is posing in his Chinese Room Argument, according Baudrillard’s senseofdisfuncionalitycouldbeapplied hereforvirtualitywouldbepartof To go further into the problem around the extra-digital functions extra-digital the around problem the into further go To But tounderstandthisphenomenonasasymbolictravelisnotanoption. 6 This ishowthedigital universe canbelimited 7 .

Critical digitality: from the virtual to the digital 159 160 Jorge F. Maldonado Serrano - Dairon A. Rodríguez Ramírez pornographic web pages fill the internet. Why ‘digital sex’ would not make seen inpornography. Itmakessensetousetheexpression‘virtualsex’, ground fortheOpenSoftwaremovement. real a find can we sense, this In impossible. even or complicated more be would codes digital as fluxes electric of property of grant the virtuality, be granted. If, onthe contrary, weweretoemphasize digitality instead of to has reward monetary effective and precise a existence its of basis the original andthesimulated,anexternalhas tobeaccepted.On into symbolicpropertyiscalledintellectualproperty. arbitrarily stolen orconquered. The projectionofthevalidity of landtenure is blindly assumed as indisputable, even if the past demonstrates it hadbeen analogical world haslongextendedtheideaofprivateproperty:landtenure perspectives: to pay or not to pay for something that is just a copy. The Napster promotedfreecirculationofmusic. to suffice. Instead of promoting consumption and earnings, the digitality of the analogic world, foritsurpassedthemusical lacks thatthevirtual had by fulfilled simply be not could that desires new proposes and virtuality destabilizes Facebook, nowadays as Napster, virtual. the of expectations it produced a desire which was quickly censored for it overflew the perspective prevents. into something dangerousforthestatuquo.Maybe thisiswhatthevirtual it isanewpossibility proposes a new desire which is nota lack, nor pleasure, nor afantasy, rather not emerge outsidethedigital, instead ofsatisfyinganexternal absence,it the digital are taken as illegal or are prohibited. In fact, when a need does within arose functionalities the that find we Paradoxically account. into analogical world, the potential gains of the digital are not seriously taken But inasmuch as the digital universe only satisfies previous needs from the world. analogical the in expected not possibilities new offer can digitality 3. Conclusion: The PossibilitiesoftheDigital desires, justasany experimentation(Deleuze& Guattari, 1987). misunderstood. We also assume that the digital as a plane of immanence produces its own A Thousand Plateaus. Inthis article we have assumed the idea that desire can be easily sense? Maybebecause the idea of ‘virtual sex’ domesticates the imaginary 8 Deleuze andGuattariexposethe ideaofBody Without Organs, toexplain desirein An example of virtuality as abasisforintellectual property maybe aseparationbetweentheIndeed, inasmuchasvirtualitymaintains In regardtothisaspect,wereachthesubtlestproblembetweenboth Such wasthecaseofNapster. Without satisfyinganeedofmen, The problemthat underlies theprevioussectioncanbesetasfollows: 8 . Maybethisiswhatturnsthedigital perspective it does not duplicate the world, rather it is extend it without limits under the understand thepotentiality of thedigital,thatexistswithinformeronly; difference between the digital universe and the analogical world allows us to the above, humans. discussed by As imposed needs external fulfill cannot 1984,1994). (Heim, critiques ofrealitythroughdigitalization The expansion Michael Heim, oneofthe greatest philosophers ofthe virtual, detects and reality. But the expansion of reality is something more crucial than what reality. Rather its capability as anewtoolforhumanstomovethroughtheir Fortunately, thisisalreadybeingexperienced, insomesense. digitalityenhancedourdesires? externalneeds, offollowing What if,instead world sensorial experiences, digitality creates new sensorial possibilities? can achieve of the digital. What if instead of simulating our three dimensional in a prescriptive fashion they intend to limit the comprehension that we really view (Stallman,2010). the confusionofOpensoftware,hisview, withfreesoftware,hisopponents in analogical reality. Herelies Richard Stallman’s interest for preventing immense possibilities of offering an open and liberal logic, not seen before virtuality it ispossibletheprojection of market goals ontoauniversewith morality has tobeexcluded. The problem is that in reducingdigitality to possible (tosharebothmusicandvideos,forexample)itdoesnotmeanthat to serveasanenhancerofhumanexperiencesformerlyimpossible. andenablesthedigitaluniverse frees thephenomenonofcommercialduties especially thoseofintellectualproperty. Onthecontrary, adigitalperspective anydigital phenomenonin order to frame it according to marketrules, constituents of the virtual conception, virtuality is the best wayto interpret that since simulation and functionality of andforthe analogical world are grants whatwearetryingtodescribehere.Ourargument simplystates for that. is someonebehindthewebpage,asetofactorsandactresses,onemustpay is simulated up to the point that a sexual experience is real, but since there of thedigital and itbecomesthespearheadofvirtualperspective: reality extend their participation in the electric flows thanks to the digital they digital the to thanks flows electric the in participation their extend to able were humans scale, photonic a at almost flows electric of control by thesametoken,areconstrained byhardwareconditions. conditions and the possibilities of the digital that are mostly logical, which, What does“expansionof reality” mean?Sincedigitalitybecamea What is atstakehere is notthecapability of thedigital to duplicate Neither functionality nor simulation effectively limits the digital. Only Nevertheless, thefactthatdigitalmakesthiskindofnewexperiences We arenotsaying,thoughthatjustthemainuseofword‘virtual’

Critical digitality: from the virtual to the digital 161 162 Jorge F. Maldonado Serrano - Dairon A. Rodríguez Ramírez to offerhumans. to oneofitsmanifestations blinds ustothepossibilities that thisreality has better results in the time to come. But reducing the specificity of the digital a metric and analogical level with veryoutstanding results andwitheven words: itisobviousthatthedigital can simulate our perceptual world in has notbeenyettakenintoaccountintheresearchaboutvirtual.Inother derivation of theprimarypotentiality of the digital, which seemstousthat an expansionoftheanalogical to thedigital. In thissense,simulation is a for equations,repetitions,digitsorcycles. boundlessness thatbelongstosuchlogicaldimension,e.g.therearenolimits the gains it formalism, logico-mathematical a by conditioned is expanded has beenreached, and the original level is thusexpanded. Since what is means that a newlowerlevel, whichconstitutes its natural analogical level reality” does notmean a wayoutfromonereality into another, rather it of “Expansion increases. movement of speed the fluxes, electric than else conditions. Sincethehardwareisasaphotonichighway, whichisnothing move in a non-human level in which they project themselves, under logical level, as usuallyallowedbytheirbodies;andthankstothedigital, we also created themselves. In other words, humansmove in ananalogical metric We would be seeing here a digital transformation of the analogical, Turkle, S.(2009). Stallman, R. (2010). Searle, J.(1980). Rodríguez, D. A., Hemorsillo, J., & Lara, B. (2012). “Meaning in artificial agents: McLuhan, M. (1962). universo y “Humanidad (2014). A. D. Rodríguez, & F., J. Serrano, Maldonado Heim, M.(1994). Heim, M. (1984). Virtual”. lo de Sentidos “Los (2009). A. Fabris, (1987). F. Guattari, & G., Deleuze, Deleuze, G.(1989). Deleuze, G.(1986). (2004). Clark, A. Castells, M. (2010). Castells, M.(2009). Baudrillard, J.(1996). Praxis Filosófica 3(3), 417–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-011-9263-x The Symbol Grounding Problem Revisited”. Toronto: Universityof Toronto Press. para lavida”. digital: prolegómenos al problema ético de lautilidad y elperjuicio de lodigital Press. New Haven: Yale UniversityPress. IV(24), 11. Schizophrenia II Press. of MinnesotaPress. Human Intelligence of theNetwokingSociety University Press. References: cuenta con una licencia Creative Commons “reconocimiento, no comercial y sin obras derivadas 2.5 Colombia” Análisis https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X00005756 Natural BornCyborgs:Minds, Technologies andthefuture of Electric Language: A Philosophical Study of Word Processing Minds, brainsandprograms.Behavioral andBrainSciences Simulation anditsdiscontents Metaphysics ofVirtual Reality Free Software, Free Society. Boston: Free Software Foundation Cinema 1,TheMovement-Image . Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress. Cinema 2,TheTime-Image The Information Age. Economy, Society and Culture: TheRise Communication andPower The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of Typographic Man The SystemofObjects . New York: OxfordUniversityPress. , 46(48),27–40. . West Susek:Blackwell. A ThousandPlateaus:Capitalismand . New York:. Verso. . London:UniversityofMinnesota Minds & Machines . London:MIT Press. . New York: OxfordUniversity (1sted.).New York: Oxford Eikasia (1sted.).London:University . Revista deFilosofía , 22(1), 25–34. . , . . ,

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