17 November 2023

14:00 – 14:45

Amphithéâtre Painlevé

Vincent Bontems

Vincent Bontems is a philosopher of science and technology, researcher at Larsim (CEA) and associate researcher at CGS (Mines ParisTech). A specialist in Gaston Bachelard and Gilbert Simondon, his work focuses on epistemology, the philosophy of technology, the sociology of science and innovation. He directs the “L’Âne d’or” collection at Belles Lettres. He teaches epistemology and ethics at ENSTA, INSTN and Institut Pasteur. Author with Roland Lehoucq of Les idées noires de la physique in 2016, he also directs the “Conception, création, innovation et invention” seminar at the Ecole des Mines.

Conference: What energy for the Fremen?

In Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel Dune, the Fremen live on the planet Arrakis, orbiting the star Canopus. Some of their technologies are described as commonplace: for example, the “distille”, an essential garment for survival in the desert, which is a strategy for adapting to the environment. Others are evoked as distant projects, such as the transformation of Arrakis’ climate thanks to the mastery of “planetology” and the patient accumulation of resources, notably water, over many generations. In contrast, Herbert’s universe is also characterized by the absence of technologies to which we are becoming accustomed, such as artificial intelligence, which has been outlawed in the wake of the Butlerian Jihad. Beyond these explicitly mentioned technological bifurcations, the gaps in the novel leave room for our own technological speculations: what is the Fremen’s energy source? Sunlight and sand are two resources available in abundance on Arrakis. Why don’t they use photovoltaic panels? What are the alternatives?