The New Polymath (Remixing Knowledge)

Abstract

This paper repositions the polymath as a central figure within the networked and decentralized landscape of contemporary knowledge production and distribution, reflecting on the changing states of remix culture with emergent technologies like Web3. The polymath is reconceptualized as a “DJ of Thought,” engaging in transdisciplinary remix practices that challenge conventional notions of authorship and intellectual ownership. Drawing on Michel de Certeau’s concept of everyday tactics and strategies of subversion and appropriation, the chapter examines how the polymath navigates and disrupts dominant knowledge systems through remix acts. The polymath is portrayed as a creative agent, materially manifesting knowledge through transdisciplinary remix techniques. This approach highlights the tension between the polymath’s agency in remix culture and the influence of “more-than-human” entities, such as technological infrastructures and generative models, on knowledge creation. The chapter challenges traditional knowledge hierarchies and fosters an understanding of authorial agency in the digital age, emphasizing multi-authored knowledge artifacts. It contributes to discussions on the political dimensions of remix culture and the evolving role of distributed authorship in shaping knowledge, underscoring the polymath’s capacity for creative resistance and intellectual engagement.