Schemas of Uncertainty is a research project on the relation between prediction and prescription within current socio-political structures. The project examines the risks and possibilities emerging technologies pose to the imagination of other possible futures or realities. From divination to machine learning, the project looks at the potentials and problematics that exist at the limits of knowability. It considers uncertainty as a generative condition upon which other forms of sociability can be imagined.
Initially starting as a cross-departmental research group at the Sandberg Instituut in 2018, the project has taken multiple formats including a publication, a symposium and various workshop series. Schemas of Uncertainty is initiated by Callum Copley and Danae Io and has involved a number of contributors without which it could not exist.
Contributors: Gamze Baray, Leith Benkhedda, Morgane Billuart, Holly Childs, Marijn Degenaar, Johan Delétang, Eurico Sa Fernandes, Levi van Gelder, Tomasz Skibicki, Simo Tse, Miha Turšič, Tom Kemp, Kyulim Kim, Adriana Knouf, Bin Koh, Sascha Krischock, Mariana Lanari, Juliette Lizotte, Célia Nabonne, Špela Petrič, Alice Dos Reis, Charlotte Dorothea Rohde, Nienke Scholts, Ben Tupper, Maria van der Togt, Jeanne Vrastor, Alex Walker and Karina Zavidova.
Reading & Research Programme - hosted by Sandberg Research
Strand 2: Swarm Intelligence, Environmental Modelling & The Incomputable
On climate models, financial predictions and bio-inspired algorithms.
Strand 1: Spatial and Statistical Science Fictions
On modelling complexity, rendering objects and representation.
Callum Copley
Danae Io
Crossdepartemental research group
Sandberg Instituut
2018
Research, prediction, possible futures, technology, artificial intelligence, techno-capitalist present
Reading & Research Programme - hosted by Sandberg Research
As is increasingly apparent, an array of convergent crises are sketching out ever more unstable realities and uncertain futures. In this series of reading groups and guest lectures, we wish to address how current political, social, environmental and epistemological conditions not only point to the inadequacy of dominant frameworks in facing these crises but highlight their very role in creating and exacerbating them. Through readings and discussions, we will explore non-dominant historical narratives and ways of knowing – probing the relationship between uncertainty, indeterminacy and knowability – in order to conceive of other ways of imagining presents and futures. Each session will consist of a public guest lecture, a group discussion on the assigned readings, and conclude with a writing exercise. Owing to limited capacity, please sign up in advance if you wish to participate.
‘Between Possible Histories & Contingent Futures’
Thursday, October 28th
17:30 – 20:00
Artist Talk: Onyeka Igwe
Re-examining histories and their respective modes of knowledge production to conceive of other ways of imagining presents and futures. This session focuses on alternative ways of reading the archive.
Location: TBA
Sign up: https://tinyurl.com/
‘Radical Uncertainty & Speculative Calculations’
Wednesday, November 17th:
17:30 – 20:00
Guest Lecture: Max Haiven
‘Risk management as human sacrifice (and vice versa)’ Focusing on the notion of radical uncertainty and examining the logic of calculation and speculation within capitalism and their relation to prescribing the future.
Location: TBA
Sign up: tinyurl.com/2fza993u
‘Emergent Ecologies & Entangled Cosmologies’
Wednesday, December 8th
17:30 – 20:00
Guest Lecture: TBA
Examining the world as entangled, situating climate change among other ‘crises’ whilst examining a plurality of cosmologies and finding resonances between them.
Location: TBA
Sign up: tinyurl.com/2y3rzcmr
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Schemas of Uncertainty is a research project on the relation between prediction and prescription within current socio-political structures. The project examines the risks and possibilities emerging technologies pose to the imagination of other possible futures or realities. From divination to machine learning, the project looks at the potentials and problematics that exist at the limits of knowability. It considers uncertainty as a generative condition upon which other forms of sociability can be imagined. The project is co-founded and organised by Callum Copley and Danae Io. http://schemasofuncertainty.com/
