Thema4

Die diffraktionelle Wende – Denken mit oder ohne Medien? Zu Donna Haraways „figural“ und Karen Barads „agential Realism“

According to both Donna J. Haraway and Karen Barad the realness of the world appears in the fact that the world is in connection. Which figure could this better symbolize than the figure of diffraction? Diffraction is like reflection an optical metaphor. Yet, in contrast to the concept of reflection the concept of diffraction does neither relate to the mirror-metaphor nor go along with the model of the copy. Hence both Haraway and Barad proclaim a “diffracional turn”. Yet, they differ with regard to the kind of realism they advocate. While Haraway proposes a figural realism, working with style, language and metaphors, Barad delineates an agential realism, which refers to quantum mechanics. As opposed to Haraway, Barad does not intend to create new storys, figures and new myths. Instead of relying on semiotics she argues for an ontological turn. She wants to unify quantum mechanics with the subatomic world in a new epistemo-ontology. In my talk I will first present their different references to diffraction and then compare the different implications of Haraway’s and Brad’s positions.