Heterarchy of General Intellect

Abstract

This paper explores the problem of General Intellect, which is analysed in the post-Operaismo intellectual movement. Reflecting the thinking of A. Negri, M. Lazzarato, P. Virno, M. Pasquinelli and others, General Intellect is given here as a synonym of society’s cognitive capacity that could either provide liberation from capitalism or be exploited by it. In this paper General Intellect is represented as a property of a social connection structure, called heterarchy. As a connection structure, heterarchy forms different kinds of singularities – finite objects composed of multiple social ties. These aggregations are made by statistical repetitions of relations and individual agents that make values through their goal setting and other intellectual activity. The main argument of the article is that although General Intellect may denote capacity for society’s self-organization, it is difficult to identify it with only one particular institutional organisation or political regime. General Intellect appears in any type of social structuring through self-organising processes.