Dictionary of Technology – 33 years later

  1. Lemma
  2. Recnik tehnologije – 33 godine posle
  3. Serbian
  4. Stevanovic, Aleksandra
  5. History and philosophy of science
  6. 31-12-2016
  7. Return from the Land of Dragons : Dictionary of Technology – 33 years later - Belgrade: Univerzitet u Beogradu. Institut za filozofiju i drustvenu teoriju, 2015.
    1. Recnik tehnologije – 33 godine posle
  9. Dictionary of Technology - Philosophy of technology

    1. "Return from the Land of Dragons, Dictionary of Technology – 33 years later" presents scientific proceedings comprised of three parts: introduction (13 scientific papers), epilogue, and documents. It was published in 2015 by The Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade as a result of scientific conference held on 12th and 13th November, 2014. It is dedicated to the examination of the historical context and theoretical content of "Dictionary of Technology", a manuscript published in June 1981 in Belgrade (Horizons) as an authentic postmodern reading of philosophy of technology whose appearance represents one of the first critical words about the technology and its posthuman outcomes.

      This scientific proceedings implies that "Dictionary of Technology" is a good example that experience of Orthodox theology could be still alive and used as a vehicle for critical reconsideration of the modern world and a persuasive modern revival of the Orthodox culture. Written by hand and illuminated in the style of Serbian medieval culture, "Dictionary" takes Orthodox legacy as some kind of mirror that reflects positive and negative effects of technological modernization. Although in Orthodox medieval form, it does not discuss theological, but technological matters, which moves the Orthodoxy closer to the center of modern culture.

      In "Dictionary of Technology", post-modern culture meets Orthodoxy through merging of different scripts (Latin, Cyrillic, Greek), and by concepts of death of author and death of subject. Cartesian subjectivity is abandoned since the names of the authors, as well as the illuminator, remain written in the script itself, not easily noticed. Such idea has roots in medieval manuscripts in which the authors would not sign piece of work since the work itself is more important than the name of the author, contrary to modernistic trends of advocating originality and creation ex nihilo. What makes this script unique is the fact that it relates to Church manuscripts and Gospels and Christian thinkers, philosophers and a plethora of distinguished authors; it is based on Orthodox heritage, but examines technology as modern form of the perennial eschatologies. Christian Orthodox legacy is quite distinct – illuminations, graphics, format, handwriting, Cyrillic and Greek script, parts from Gospels, the continuation of medieval Orthodox contemplation, neoplatonistic thought, as well as the concept of selfhood: all of that directed towards essential understanding of technology. "Dictionary" is found difficult to define in terms of disciplinary domain for in its 162 entries it encompasses different spheres such as philosophy, theology, literature, and arts which permeate each other.

      Considering these aspects, the proceedings explains Orthodoxy's presence in the "Dictionary of Technology" – the entire artistic, technical and philosophical formation of the "Dictionary" represents a consistent, not only theoretical, but also practical reimagining of technology and revival of comprehensive potential of Orthodoxy.

      In conclusion, "Return from the Land of Dragons, Dictionary of Technology – 33 years later" is a very large step in critical analysis of modern technology because it recalls the ideas of this 1981 theoretically and visually unique script and fosters further examination and discussion, particularly in the Orthodox prism. Hence, it implies a significant point in Orthodox perception of technology.