Inhalt des Dokuments
Wenzel Mehnert
- © Wenzel Mehnert
Institut für Werkzeugmaschinen und Fabrikbetrieb sowie Institut für Philosophie, Literatur-, Wissenschafts- und Technikgeschichte TU Berlin
FG Wissensdynamik und Nachhaltigkeit in den Technikwissenschaften
Pascalstraße 8-9, PTZ 10
10587 Berlin
wenzel.mehnert[at]tu-berlin.de
Sprechzeiten: montags, nach Vereinbahrung.
Arbeitsschwerpunkte
- Representation of emerging technologies in Speculative Fiction
- Narratives used in AI-discourse
- Method development for deliberation of ethical questions in the field of AI
Aktuelle Tätigkeit
Wenzel Mehnert works as a research assistant at the Technische Universität Berlin in the Berlin Ethics Lab for Responsible AI and Responsible Human-Computer Interaction. He is doing his PhD on present and past narratives of brain-machine interfaces in speculative fiction, scientific discourse and the reciprocal feedback of both fields.
He also works at the University of the Arts in the Institute at the chair of Prof. Timothee Ingen-Housz. Here he develops creative methods for reflecting on present futures with creative means from design and literature and gives seminars on the media representation of futures.
Kurzbiografie
In his research and teaching, Wenzel Mehnert focuses on the intersection between Speculative Fictions (e.g. Science-Fiction Literature, Speculative Design, Design Fictions, Speculative Performances) and the assessment of New and Emerging Science and Technologies (e.g. A.I., SynBio, Internet of Things, etc.).
In a eclectic movement he combines disciplines like Science and Technology Studies (STS), Critical Future Studies (CFS) or Technological-Vision Assessment with creative practices of Worlbuilding, the deliberate process of creating a coherent Storyworld, and philosophical approaches to Speculative Thinking and Possible World Theory to reflect upon current future images. Therefore, his interest towards Futures is not a predictive one. Instead of looking into the future he is interested in looking at the present futures, meaning the current assumptions of the future – where they come from and how they can be reshaped through narrative means.
Publikationen
| in Vorbereitung | Mehnert, W. (Forthcoming). Zwischen Körper und Geist – transhumanistische Metaphern in der Spekulativen Fiktion. In: Körpern. UdK Verlag, Berlin |
| 2020 | Mehnert, W. De-Constructing Cyberpunk Worlds. In C. Ernst & J. Schröter (Eds.), (Re-)Imagining New Media in Art & Popular Culture at the End of the 20th Century. Meson Press. |
| 2020 | Fischer, N. & Mehnert, W. Building possible worlds. A speculation based research framework to reflect on images of the future. Journal of Futures Studies. |
| 2019 | Mehnert, W. Dystopische Möglichkeitsräume — Near Future Science Fiction als Schnittstelle zu möglichen Zukünften. In K. D. Haensch, L. Nelke, & M. Planitzer (Hrsg.), Unheimliche Schnittstellen / Uncanny Interfaces. Textem Verlag Hamburg. Hamburg: textem Verlag. |
| 2019 | Kolombe, T., & Mehnert, W. What Desert Smell’s Like. Self-Published anthology of Sci-Fi Short-Stories developed at the University of the Arts. |
| 2017 | Haupt, J., & Mehnert, W. Business Model Futures. In M. Heidingsfelder, S. Kaiser, K. Kimpel, & M. Schraudner (Hrsg.), Shaping Future. Stuttgart: Frauenhofer Verlag. |
Vorträge
| 2020 | De-Constructing Cyberpunk Worlds (2020) Specfic 2020, Karlstadt, Sweden |
| 2020 | Technodystopian Imaginaries in Cyberpunk worlds (2020) Visions and Narratives of AI, Berlin Ethics Lab, TU-Berlin |
| 2020 | Rethinking Futures (2020) (canceled due to Corona) Futures Conference 2020 in Helsinki |
| 2020 | Futureworld Cafe (2020) (canceled due to Corona) Invited as a speaker on the Meta Marathon, Düsseldorf |
| 2020 | A.I. against Extinction II (2020), re:publica, Berlin |
| 2020 | Prototyping Sociotechnical Systems (2020) Cybioses symposium, Berlin |
| 2020 | What desert smells like? (2020) Hybrid Talks XXXIX – “Speculation”, Berlin |
| 2020 | Worldbuilding & Speculative Fiction (2020) Speculative Futures Meetup, Berlin |
| 2019 | Speculative Performances (2019) Future Slam at FU-Berlin |
| 2018 | A Plea for Speculative Thinking (2018) Solarpunk Festival, Berlin |
| 2018 | Speculative Foresight (2018) Huddle of the Master course Future Studies, FU-Berlin |
| 2017 | Business Science-Fictionalized (2017) Re:Publica in Berlin |
Performances & Ausstellungen
| 2020 | Down to Earth (2020) Exhibition at the Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin |
| 2019 | A.I. against Extinction I (2019) Blackmarket of Knowledge in Dresden |
| 2018 | Let Nature Rule (2018) Bits & Bäume Conference in Berlin, Germany |
| 2018 | Objects of Uncertainty (2018) Drone Dancing Festival in Stockholm, Sweden |
| 2015 | This Situation (2015) Performance by Tino Sehgal, Amsterdam |