[Iris] TALK: Amos Morris-Reich (Tel Aviv University), 'The Human-Animal Interface as a Horizon of Interpretation: Vilém Flusser’s “Nazi Fantasy”' (October 27th, 3:00-5pm CEST)

Dear All, The Philosophy Department of the Central European University, the Institute Vienna Circle and the Unit for Applied Philosophy of Science and Epistemology (of the Department of Philosophy of the University of Vienna) are jointly organizing a series of talks this term: https://wienerkreis.univie.ac.at/news-events/apse-ceu-ivc-talks-wintersemes… The next talk will be Thursday, October 27th, 3-5pm CEST. The Center for Israel Studies is a co-sponsor of this talk. This talk is a hybrid event, in-person at NIG (SR 3A) and can be followed online. The speaker will be Amos Morris-Reich (Tel Aviv University) The title of the talk is: 'The Human-Animal Interface as a Horizon of Interpretation: Vilém Flusser’s “Nazi Fantasy”' (Abstract below) Online access (without registration): univienna.zoom.us/j/61475205762 You can also log into our meetings through the Zoom application (rather than by clicking the link above), by using the following credentials: Meeting-ID: 614 7520 5762 Password: 264065 No RSVP or registered accounts are required for online attention, it's enough to click on the link and enter your name. Chrome or Firefox browsers work best. Abstract: Vilém Flusser is considered one of the most original philosophers of media, communication, and photography in the second half of the twentieth century. Flusser, who was born in Prague to a Czech and German speaking Jewish family and fled to Brazil in 1940, was an autodidact who moved between continents, languages, and literary genres. From his early writings in Brazil to his late writings in Europe one can find scattered, opaque, and strange references to biological themes. Many of these references allude, directly or indirectly, to Nazism. In this wider context, the talk will pay special attention to Vampyroteuthis Infernalis, a fictitious scientific report on a gigantic deep-ocean squid as possibly his most important site of contention with Nazism. In attempting to interpret this book as his “Nazi fantasy,” this lecture reconstructs Flusser’s stunning original voice and attempts to situate him with regard to intellectual traditions about the role of science, and in particular biology, in twentieth century political history. Everyone welcome! On behalf of the organizers, Martin Kusch --------------------------------------- Prof. Martin Kusch (he/they) Univ. of Vienna, Dpt. of Philosophy https://martinkusch.wixsite.com/website