Multistability as virtuality. Technology as a layer of the flesh

Abstract

The concept of multistability represents one of the most important theoretical points in postphenomenology, through which technology can be understood as neither neutral nor deterministically oriented. An instrument, being multistable, opens to an unpredictable multiplicity of configurations, without being characterized by a metaphysical essence. This essay considers some critical aspects of multistability, arguing that it cannot find an adequate foundation within a philosophy solely oriented towards context. To offer an alternative to this impasse, the ontology of the flesh, developed by Merleau-Ponty, is considered, providing an interpretation that highlights its virtuality, meaning the flesh as dehiscence of meaning. Through Merleau-Ponty’s thought, the aim is to find a broader conceptual framework on which to root the concept of multistability, without enclosing it in a substantial foundation in the classical sense.