In this talk (50:41 onwards), I trace an alternative genealogy to the binary arithmetic through the I-Ching, often lauded as an inspiration for the binary code system invented for computation. What happens if we zoom into this tiny footnote in the history of computation? Why did Leibniz turn to the I-Ching? I situate Leibniz’s invention of binary arithmetic in the era of colonial expansion through the spreading of the Christian faith. What possibilities does this reference open up in thinking through the limits of binary arithmetic?

This lecture was presented in Jan 2024 at IMPAKT, Centre for Media Culture in Utrecht, upon invitation by curator Daniela Tenenbaum.

An earlier version was presented in the context of the Holistic Technology Salon, hosted by V2_Lab for the Unstable Media, Rotterdam, at the exhibition Liquid Dreams (Annika Kappner) in TETEM, Enschede, in October 2023. With thanks to the feedback from my interlocutors and the participants!