The specificity of Chinese technological thought has been the subject of recurrent philosophical debate since the early 20th century. This discussion highlights the originality of the sensory relationship with nature expressed in Chinese writing and culture. “Olfactory technology (Qi - Wei): a Chinese inspiration for ecotechnology” explores the hypothesis that a philosophy of technology, inspired by China but open to other cultures, can renew thinking on technology in its relationship to the environment, based on the paradigm of olfaction (Wei).
This approach is based on an analysis of traditional Chinese thought developed by contemporary Chinese philosophers, in particular Gong Huanan, and shows its influence on current Chinese technological thought. It also draws on the work of specialists in olfaction, as well as Western philosophers of technology, science and the imaginary (such as Gilbert Simondon, Gaston Bachelard and Dominique Lestel).
The primary scientific challenge is to restore the olfactory paradigm of Chinese technological thought in order to examine its relationship to the environment, and then to develop a transcultural ecotechnological reflection. In the light of these analyses, we will then reconsider the imaginaries of robotic and digital technologies in order to explore new avenues of innovation. Finally, from a science fiction prototyping perspective, speculative fictions will extend the analysis by examining the impact of imaginable technologies based on the olfactory paradigm.