Bruno Latour was a French philosopher and anthropologist who reshaped our understanding of science, technology, and society. His influential works, including Climate of History in a Planetary Age and La vie de laboratoire, examine the complex relationships between humans and non-human actors. Latour's unique approach offers fresh perspectives on how knowledge is made and how we live in a shared world.
Aramis
Aramis
Synopsis
A guided-transportation system intended for Paris, Aramis represented a major advance in personal rapid transit: it combined the efficiency of a subway with the flexibility of an automobile. But in the end, its electronic couplings proved too complex and expensive, the political will failed, and the project died in 1987. The story of Aramis is told by several different parties, none of which take precedence over any other: a young engineer and his professor, who act as detective to ferret out the reasons for the project's failure; company executives and elected officials; a sociologist; and finally Aramis itself, who delivers a passionate plea: technological innovation has needs and desires, especially a desire to be born, but cannot live without the sustained commitment of those who have created it.
Vibe
Genres
Characters
AramisProtagonist
young engineerSupporting
company executivesSupporting
elected officialsSupporting
sociologistSupporting
Subjects
Places
Edition
Aramis, or, The love of technologyUnknown, 1996
314 pages
Harvard University PressLanguage: EnglishISBN: 97806740432374 editions available
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Frequently asked questions
Is Aramis based on a real project?
The book is a fictionalized account, but it draws heavily on the real-world history of the Aramis project, a personal rapid transit system developed in France during the 1970s and 80s.
How does this book relate to Bruno Latour's other works?
Aramis is a key example of Latour's actor-network theory (ANT) in practice, using a narrative approach to explore the complex interactions between technology, society, and politics, a theme central to much of his sociological writing.
Does Aramis have multiple narrators?
The narrative is presented through various perspectives, including a young engineer, a professor, company executives, politicians, a sociologist, and even the Aramis system itself, offering a multifaceted view of the project's development and failure.