Everyone knows that the economic stakes are high

This time they landed en masse. The tactile, already well established, will conquer the Earth. In any case, the market. In a few days, we saw Google launching Nexus One, its "smartphone" touch screen, Microsoft unveil a Tablet without keyboard project, Apple talk to ruse the rumor and secrecy about the unveiling next in his digital "slate", is Commander of the fingertips. Everyone knows that the economic stakes are high. Medium term, the impact of these new machines can be huge on advertising, media and cultural industries. In these analyses, to forget The part of the dream.

Obsessed by the struggle of titans, fascinated by the feats of it professionals, we end up no longer see that these technical changes are also very deeply rooted in old fantasies. The shelves of the ancient world - those that the Greeks and Romans enduisaient wax to cut the surface with a pen - return as magical objects. Instantly, barely touched, they start to sing, write, keep the voice or transmit it, to say the weather will be tomorrow at the antipodes either the path to the nearest Japanese restaurant. Be never lost, know everything - and immediately and anywhere-no doubt: there is an active presence of archaic desires in these latest technologies.

Desire, as noted Spinoza in "The ethics" (1677), is "the essence of man." Previously, it had thought that desire was the trailer of the objects, awakened by the absence, caused by the lack. Is all the opposite Spinoza highlights: force first assertion, creative, production - at work everywhere, in the actions of the body as in thoughts. Its great lesson, ultimately, is that the desire to built the world. If one applies this revolution of thought in our tactile toys, it will cease to see gadgets. Will be even beyond trade issues. It will affect the finger, so to speak, this part of dream technologies a reality.

Just tend index to arise a presence and power destroying it instantly, a single small gesture... to which therefore make believe that it is a matter purely and simply rational Virtually all modern techniques evoke magical powers: flying in the air, see remotely, there appear where it is not, maintain the presence of the dead... This is not a coincidence. The more they develop, our machines realize dreams of witch. With futuristic capabilities, they meet originating desires. It is believed that these objects are products of reason. This is true, but in part only.

"The report with the technical object begins below the reason." Should ponder this sentence of Gilbert Simondon (1924-1989). Engineer-philosopher, he was one of the very few contemporary thinkers really concerned to understand "the mode of existence of technical objects", their form of independent living, concrete idea status. Today began to rediscover his work pioneer, founder of a true "mécanologie", a science of the machines. It is located at opposite ends of the sad technophobia Heidegger and all those who lament the loss of the authentic nature and human spontaneity.

Simondon noted, on the contrary, that it is not the machines that are harmful, but bad relations we have with them, lack of understanding where we are their place and their exact nature. The arrival of touch tablets would certainly interested this philosopher, who deplored the absence of "technical poets" and insisted already, well before Wi - Fi on the importance of the networks. He therefore refused to see an invasion of aliens and themselves would be interviewed on the new forms of speed that these machines already invented in our report to the other, ourselves and the world. Matter of tact.