Ontology of the multitude and heterarchy of the common

Abstract

This paper explores ontology of multitude, reflecting the General Intellect theory by A. Negri, M. Lazzarato, P. Virno, M. Pasquinelli and others. General Intellect is used as a synonym of the cognitive capacity of society, that may either liberate it from capitalism or be exploited by the capitalistic organisation of society. In this paper, General Intellect is analysed as a property of a social connection structure, hereinafter referred to as heterarchy. The connection structure heterarchy forms different kinds of singularities, i.e. aggregations consisting of statistical repetitions of relations and individual egos creating values through their goal-setting and other intellectual activities. The article argues that though General Intellect may denote capacity for the self-organization of society to a certain extent, it is difficult to identify with the only particular institutional organisation or political regime. General Intellect manifests itself in any type of social structuring through self-organising processes. © Siberian Federal University. All rights reserved