Exposing Humanism
Prudence, Ingenium, and the Politics of the Posthuman
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4301259 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Timothy D Harfield (Emory University in Atlanta GA) |
| Year | 2013 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 264-288 |
| Publication date | 2013-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Historical Sociology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0952-1909 • E-ISSN: 1467-6443 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/johs.12001 |
| OpenAlex | W2102723285 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 9 |
This article examines posthumanism and its relationship to humanism. First, it is argued that the term "posthumanism" relies upon an incomplete conception of humanism, and in a way that forecloses the possibility of looking to the humanist tradition for support. Addressing Foucault's often quoted comments about the recent invention and imminent demise of man, it is argued that Foucault is not anti-humanist, but is rather critical of the use of humanism as an axis of reflection. Second, the posthumanist perspective is summarized as attending to a set of interrelated ethical and epistemological concerns. Calling into question the boundary between human and nonhuman animals, posthumanism also challenges the primacy of empirico-deductive reasoning and advocates a re-legitimization of rhetoric as a mode of thought. Lastly, using Ernesto Grassi's interpretation of the early Italian humanists, this article demonstrates not only the compatibility of Renaissance humanism with posthumanist concerns, but also the fruitfulness of this tradition as a conceptual resource. Although the Renaissance notion of ingenium, the ability to adapt and make concrete situations meaningful without also affirming strong ontological commitments, is absent from posthumanist discourse, it is a concept that has the power to enrich the posthumanist project. Consequently, posthumanism is not actually at odds with the humanist tradition in general, but rather only with a very limited and relatively recent conception
Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Humanism · Interpretation (philosophy · Posthuman · Posthumanism · Rhetoric · Sociology · Transhumanism · Philosophy, Ethics, and Existentialism · Political Theology and Sovereignty · Posthumanist Ethics and Activism · Philosophy
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,3 |
| Citation span | 2016 - 2023 (8) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |