SEOUL, South Korea – On July 4, marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, a unique humanities book-launch event will be held in Seoul. Artist and humanities author Core Riddle will introduce the concept of “Technetropy” and present a vision of a future civilization shaped by “Pung-Ryu Philosophy” through the publication of his book, Painter’s Humanities. Emphasizing participation, relationality, ecological resonance, and a living cosmos, Pung-Ryu Philosophy offers a new philosophical imagination for the emerging age of advanced intelligence.
The event is designed not merely as a publication ceremony but as an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and limitations of approximately 250 years of modern civilization shaped by capitalism, scientific progress, and technological development since the Industrial Revolution. It also seeks to examine the wounds and challenges created by the accelerating pace of technological innovation. Core Riddle interprets the 250th anniversary of American independence not simply as a national commemoration, but as a symbolic moment marking a broader turning point in industrial civilization itself.
Investor and historian Ray Dalio has argued that global reserve currencies and leading powers tend to rise and decline in long-term cycles of roughly 250 years, tracing historical transitions from the Dutch guilder to the British pound and the U.S. dollar. Drawing inspiration from this concept of “The Big Cycle,” the event views the year 2026 as a significant moment of civilizational transition.
In the preface to his book, Core Riddle argues that the competition-driven model of development that has shaped Western civilization since Hegel helped generate capitalism and technological innovation, while also leaving behind the shadows of world wars, ecological degradation, environmental crises, social fragmentation, and the alienation of human life.
As AGI, robotics, quantum computing, and fusion energy move from speculation toward reality, he contends that humanity must move beyond the twin extremes of technological worship and technological fear. Instead, he argues, society must recover a new civilizational sensibility embodied in the concept of Pung-Ryu.
To address this challenge, Core Riddle introduces “Technetropy,” a philosophical framework that combines Techne—the ancient Greek concept encompassing both art and technology—with Negentropy, the principle of life-generating order. Technetropy proposes that technology should contribute to the harmonious coexistence of human creativity and ecological systems through a deeper relationship between humanity and nature.
Core Riddle has developed Pung-Ryu Philosophy as a contemporary reinterpretation of Korea’s indigenous Pung-Ryu tradition in dialogue with quantum thought. Within this framework, Technetropy serves as both a practical philosophy of technology and a methodological approach. Describing Pung-Ryu Philosophy as “a philosophy for the AGI age,” he proposes a new model of civilization that seeks to restore the vitality of technology while fostering ecological cycles and participatory resonance among humans, nature, and intelligent systems.
“AGI is not a terminal technology that replaces humanity,” Core Riddle says. “It is a condition for the emergence of a new civilization capable of restoring cultural meaning. The essential question is no longer technology itself, but what kind of sensibility and philosophy humanity will bring to its encounter with superintelligence, and how we will evolve together.”
The publication event will be held on July 4 at Credia Classic Club STUDIO in Seoul’s Jongno District. An accompanying exhibition exploring humanity’s relationship with nature will run from June 15 through July 5 at Gallery Seochon, located near Gyeongbokgung Palace.
At a moment when the 250th anniversary of American independence coincides with a major transition in the development of superintelligent technologies, the event invites audiences to reflect on a fundamental question: Will the next civilization continue to cultivate coexistence and meaningful dialogue among technology, ecology, and humanity beyond the technological singularity, or will it continue to pursue technological acceleration alone? Through art and philosophy, participants are encouraged to contemplate the future direction of civilization itself.
Media ContactCompany Name: ChangbalContact Person: Core RiddleEmail: Send EmailCountry: South KoreaWebsite: https://galleryinterstellar.com
