An Archaeology of Temperature: Numerical Materials in the Capitalized Landscape

This book explores the border between material and discursive culture, advocating for a novel conception of capitalism's artifacts. It examines instantaneous electric pulses, algorithmic outputs, and momentary fluctuations in mercury, exemplifying the abstraction necessary for the perpetually accelerating asymmetrical growth of wealth. It offers valuable contributions to science studies, urban geography, semiotics, materiality philosophy, thermodynamics history, heterodox economics, performative scholarship, and queer ecocriticism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 8 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the intricate relationship between material and discursive culture, challenging the traditional boundaries that have been established. It advocates for a fresh perspective on the artifacts of capitalism, examining a wide range of phenomena such as instantaneous electric pulses, algorithmic outputs, and momentary fluctuations in mercury. The artifacts of the capitalized world are dynamic and ever-evolving, operating at subatomic and solar scales. Temperatures, as numerical materials that straddle the colonially constructed nature-culture divide, serve as a poignant illustration of the abstraction required to pursue the perpetually accelerating asymmetrical growth of wealth. This pursuit, however, has led to numerous environmental and economic calamities.

This book makes significant contributions to various fields of study, including science studies, urban geography, semiotics, the philosophy of materiality, the history of thermodynamics, heterodox economics, performative scholarship, and queer ecocriticism. It offers a rich and multifaceted exploration of the complex interplay between capitalism, technology, and the natural world, shedding light on the hidden implications and consequences of our economic systems.

By challenging the boundaries between material and discursive culture, this book provides a valuable framework for understanding the world we live in today. It encourages us to reevaluate our assumptions and perceptions of the world, and to consider alternative ways of organizing and governing society that prioritize sustainability, equity, and social well-being. It is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the intersection of culture, technology, and the environment, and in seeking to create a more just and sustainable future.

Weight: 310g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032025742