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Jules Guesde: The Birth of Socialism and Marxism in France (Marx, Engels, and Marxisms)
by Jean-Numa DucangeWhat explains France’s unique Left? Many works have reflected upon the importance of Marxism in France, yet few studies have been devoted to the man who did most to introduce Marxism into its political culture: the today near-forgotten figure of Jules Guesde. It was with Guesde that Karl Marx drafted the world’s first Marxist program, and Guesde who aroused the enthusiasm of countless worker-militants who saw him as their most important leader. Jules Guesde represents the first book-length study of the French socialist leader translated into the English language. For the radical Left today, Guesde is often considered a dogmatist who supported the Union sacrée during World War I and rejected the Bolshevik revolution; for the governmental Left, he embodies an intransigent ideologue who held back the modernization of the French Left. Throughout Jules Guesde, Jean-Numa Ducange argues that it is impossible to study the history of the French socialist movement without a close look at this singular figure and offers a fuller picture of the deep transformations of the Left and Marxism in France from the late 19th century up to the present. This scholarly biography of Jules Guesde seeks to put Guesde’s record on a properly historical footing, closely analysing both archival sources and accounts by his contemporaries. Chapter One begins with his early life and the mark left on him by the Paris Commune and exile. Chapter Two emphasises Guesde’s importance as leader of a distinct current of French socialism, recognised by figures like Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Chapter Three sees Guesde become an MP for working-class Roubaix, exploring the contradictions between his revolutionary rhetoric and concrete political practice. Chapter Four turns to the years following his electoral defeat in 1898 and his renewed intransigence in the period of the Dreyfus affair and rivalry with Jaurès. Chapter Five explores his key role in the formation of a united Socialist Party. Chapter Six examines the test of World War I and Guesde’s anguish at the divisions of French socialism. The book then concludes with an examination of Guesde’s contested legacy, as both a “founding father” and figure subject to often pejorative framings.
Julia Domna: Syrian Empress (Women of the Ancient World)
by Barbara LevickThis book covers Julia’s life, and charts her travels throughout the Empire from Aswan to York during a period of profound upheaval, and seeks the truth about this woman who inspired such extreme and contrasting views, exposing the instability of our sources about her, and characterizing a sympathetic, courageous, intelligent, and important woman. This book contains a fresh re-assessment of the one of the most significant figures of her time and questions: • Was Julia more powerful than earlier empresses? • Did she really promote despotism? • How seriously is her literary circle to be taken? As part of a dynasty which used force and violence to preserve its rule, she was distrusted by its subjects; as a Syrian, she was the object of prejudice; as a woman with power, she was resented. On the other hand, Domna was the centre of a literary circle considered highly significant by nineteenth-century admirers.
Julia Kristeva
by Joanne MorraFirst published in 1998. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Julian Huxley, Evolutionism and the History of Transhumanism (Palgrave Studies in the Future of Humanity and its Successors)
by Ingrid DunérThe evolutionary biologist Julian Huxley (1887–1975) attempted to promote a “religion for the future,” which he would come to refer to as Transhumanism. Transhumanism was an attempt to unite a more traditional humanistic view of the human as containing some form of core essence or potential with an evolutionary point of view of humans as a work in progress. Before humans, natural selection had been responsible for the transformation of life. Through its ordering principles and through chance, it had given rise to humankind, which had ushered in a new phase of evolution. Humanity stood on the threshold of yet another critical point in evolution: The consciously purposive phase of evolution. This open access book explores the history of transhumanism by analyzing how Julian Huxley’s transhumanism develops and why it does at this particular point in time, by placing it firmly within the context of his specific scientific and sociopolitical milieu, starting roughly in the interwar years and stretching over the Second World War to the 1970s. Continuing, the study then focuses on the new transhumanists of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s and investigates continuity in mode of thinking, contributing to a more coherent understanding of transhumanism, its history and of modern projects of human enhancement. The book captures how scientific and technological development in relation to society and social order shapes images and expectations of the future and of what future is desirable.
Julian: An Intellectual Biography (Routledge Revivals)
by Polymnia AthanassiadiJulian: An Intellectual Biography, first published in 1981, presents a penetrating and scholarly analysis of Julian’s intellectual development against the background of philosophy and religion in the late Roman Empire. Professor Polymnia Athanassiadi tells the story of Julian’s transformation from a reclusive and scholarly adolescent into a capable general and an audacious social reformer. However, his character was fraught with a great many contradictions, tensions and inconsistencies: he could be sensitive and intelligent, but also uncontrollably spontaneous and subject to alternating fits of considerable self-pity and self-delusion. Athanassiadi traces the Emperor Julian’s responses to personal and public challenges, and dwells on the conflicts that each weighty choice imposed on him. This analysis of Julian’s character and of all the issues that confronted him as an emperor, intellectual and mystic is based largely on contemporary evidence, with particular emphasis on the extensive writings of the man himself.
Julius Evola: The Philosopher and Magician in War: 1943-1945
by Gianfranco de TurrisAn intimate portrait of Evola and his wartime activities that rebuts many of the Fascist pseudo-myths about him • Traces the Baron&’s activities in Italy, Germany, and Austria during World War II • Clarifies Evola&’s relations with Nazism and Fascism and reveals how he passionately rejected both ideologies because they were totalitarian • Draws on personal conversations with those who knew Evola, new documentation never before made public, and letters from the Hakl and Scaligero archives Baron Giulio Cesare Andrea Evola, known to the English-speaking world as Julius Evola (1898–1974), was an Italian philosopher, magician, painter, occultist, Orientalist, linguist, and champion mountain climber. Often considered a pillar of Neo-Fascist thought, Evola opposed Fascism and called himself a &“radical traditionalist.&” In this exploration of Evola&’s inner and outer life from World War II into the early 1950s, Gianfranco de Turris, who knew Evola when he was alive and is the executor of his estate, offers a new portrait of Julius Evola and debunks many of the pseudo-myths about his activities during the war. Drawing on personal conversations with those who knew him and new documentation never before made public, including letters from the Hakl and Scaligero archives, the author traces Evola&’s activities--including his time on the run and living under assumed names--in Italy, Germany, and Austria from 1943 into the mid-1950s. He shares a thorough account of the Baron&’s sojourn at Hitler&’s headquarters in Rastenburg, his work for the German secret military services, and his passionate rejection of the racial theories that were the core of Nazi ideology. The author outlines Evola&’s critiques of Fascism and Nazism and also explores Evola&’s disapproval of the Italian Social Republic because it was destroying traditional values in favor of modernity. Detailing the Baron&’s occult and magical work during the war, de Turris shows that the only thing Evola took with him when he escaped Italy was the UR Group papers, material that would later become the three-volume work Introduction to Magic. Sharing details from Evola&’s long hospital stays during and after the war, the author proves that the injury that led to Evola&’s paralysis was caused by an Allied bombing raid in Vienna and not, as rumor has it, by a sex magic act gone horribly wrong. The author shares photographs from the time period and the Baron&’s correspondence with René Guenon on the possibility of restoring the spiritual and magical power of an authentic Freemasonry. Offering conclusive evidence that Evola was not part of the Nazi regime, de Turris sheds light on the inner workings of this legendary occult figure and what Evola believed was the best approach for the magus to take in the modern world.
Jump!: A New Philosophy for Conquering Procrastination
by Simon MayDo you repeatedly defer life to later, convinced there will come a time when you'll be better prepared to seize its opportunities?Do you spend your best hours on chores or trivia before allowing yourself to get to what most matters to you? The real mystery of procrastination is why we avoid goals to which we're passionately committed. It's understandable that we'd put off cleaning the fridge or completing our tax return; but why do we swerve a loved one, a vocation, a hobby, or a new life that feels supremely meaningful to us? Simon May argues that the almost universal consensus around overcoming procrastination - setting priorities and optimizing time management: working "smarter not harder" - might work for the boring things but is of little use when it comes to treasured goals that we're avoiding. Jump! proposes seven radically new ways in which we can overcome this life-sabotaging procrastination. May claims that, for all their pain, the regret and boredom created by procrastination can shine the brightest light on our top priorities, either reaffirming our commitment to them or teaching us that we're on the wrong path. This is the unexpected blessing of procrastination: that it offers hope of becoming ourselves.
Jump!: A New Philosophy for Conquering Procrastination
by Simon MayDo you repeatedly defer life to later, convinced there will come a time when you'll be better prepared to seize its opportunities?Do you spend your best hours on chores or trivia before allowing yourself to get to what most matters to you? The real mystery of procrastination is why we avoid goals to which we're passionately committed. It's understandable that we'd put off cleaning the fridge or completing our tax return; but why do we swerve a loved one, a vocation, a hobby, or a new life that feels supremely meaningful to us? Simon May argues that the almost universal consensus around overcoming procrastination - setting priorities and optimizing time management: working "smarter not harder" - might work for the boring things but is of little use when it comes to treasured goals that we're avoiding. Jump! proposes seven radically new ways in which we can overcome this life-sabotaging procrastination. May claims that, for all their pain, the regret and boredom created by procrastination can shine the brightest light on our top priorities, either reaffirming our commitment to them or teaching us that we're on the wrong path. This is the unexpected blessing of procrastination: that it offers hope of becoming ourselves.
Jung In A Week: Teach Yourself
by Ruth SnowdenLearn in a week, remember for a lifetime!In just one week, this accessible book will give you knowledge to last forever. End of chapter summaries and multiple choice questions are all designed to help you test your knowledge and gain confidence. So whether you are a student or you simply want to widen your knowledge, you will find this seven-day course a very memorable introduction.Sunday: Learn who Jung was and what he didMonday: Explore Jung's inner world and how this informed his ideasTuesday: Understand Jung's view of the psyche and its journeyWednesday: Consider Jung's views on dreams and symbolsThursday: Engage with Jung's understanding of personality and how we form relationshipsFriday: Find out what Jung thought about esoterica, the paranormal, religion and spirituality.Saturday: Look at how Jung's ideas have been developed over time and how they are relevant today.
Jung In A Week: Teach Yourself
by Ruth SnowdenLearn in a week, remember for a lifetime!In just one week, this accessible book will give you knowledge to last forever. End of chapter summaries and multiple choice questions are all designed to help you test your knowledge and gain confidence. So whether you are a student or you simply want to widen your knowledge, you will find this seven-day course a very memorable introduction.Sunday: Learn who Jung was and what he didMonday: Explore Jung's inner world and how this informed his ideasTuesday: Understand Jung's view of the psyche and its journeyWednesday: Consider Jung's views on dreams and symbolsThursday: Engage with Jung's understanding of personality and how we form relationshipsFriday: Find out what Jung thought about esoterica, the paranormal, religion and spirituality.Saturday: Look at how Jung's ideas have been developed over time and how they are relevant today.
Jung and Educational Theory (Educational Philosophy and Theory Special Issues #34)
by Inna SemetskyJung and Educational Theory offers a new take on Jung’s work, providing original, rich and informative material on his impact on educational research. Explores Jung’s writing from the standpoint of educational philosophy, assessing what it has to offer to theories of education Highlights Jung’s emphasis on education’s role in bringing up integrated and ethical human beings Offers the perspectives of a diversity of academics and practitioners, on topics ranging from the role of the unconscious in learning to the polytheistic classroom Both a valuable addition to the academic library and a significant new resource in the professional development of teachers
Jung and Kierkegaard: Researching a Kindred Spirit in the Shadows (Research in Analytical Psychology and Jungian Studies)
by Amy CookJung and Kierkegaard identifies authenticity, suffering and self-deception as the three key themes that connect the work of Carl Jung and Søren Kierkegaard. There is, in the thinking of these pioneering psychologists of the human condition, a fundamental belief in the healing potential of a religious outlook. This engaging and erudite text explores the significance of the similarities of thinking between Kierkegaard and Jung, bridging the gap between the former’s particular brand of existential Christian psychology and the latter’s own unique philosophy. Given the similarity of their work and experiences that were common to both of their personal biographies, particularly the relationship that each had with his father, one might expect Jung to have found in Kierkegaard a kindred spirit. Yet this was not the case, and Jung viewed Kierkegaard with great scorn. That there exists such a strong comparison and extensive overlap in the life and thought of these towering figures of psychology and philosophy leads us to question why it is that Jung so strongly rejected Kierkegaard. Such hostility is particularly fascinating given the striking similarity that Jung’s own analytical psychology bears to the Christian psychology upheld by Kierkegaard. Cook’s thought-provoking book fills a very real gap in Jungian scholarship and is the first attempt to undertake a direct comparison between Jung and Kierkegaard’s models of development. It is therefore essential reading for academics and postgraduate students with an interest in Jungian and Kierkegaard scholarship, as well as psychology, philosophy and religion more generally.
Jung and Spinoza: Passage Through The Blessed Self (Philosophy and Psychoanalysis)
by Robert LanganThis volume presents the first major study of C.G. Jung’s curious relationship with the philosophy of Baruch Spinoza.Although Jung scarcely mentions Spinoza in his work, there is an unmistakable accord between the core ideas of both thinkers, most notably regarding Spinoza’s theory of God and the monism found in Jung’s writings. Exploring why Jung shows ambivalence toward Spinoza despite their affinity, Robert H. Langan argues that Spinoza offers Jung a radical solution to problems in his psychology. What results is a new interpretation of Jung’s metaphysics, the evidence for which has gone unheeded in Jungian studies to date. Ultimately for both Jung and Spinoza, knowledge of the self leads to knowledge of the Divine, and it is this championing of a ‘transcendental immanence’ that makes Jung an unlikely yet consummate Spinozist.Jung and Spinoza will be of interest to continental philosophers and depth psychologists who wish to bridge their respective fields, as well as general audiences curious about the ideas of both thinkers.
Jung's Ethics: Moral Psychology and his Cure of Souls (Philosophy and Psychoanalysis)
by Dan MerkurThis volume presents the first organized study of Jung's ethics. Drawing on direct quotes from all of his collected works, interviews, and seminars, psychoanalyst and religious scholar Dan Merkur provides a compendium of Jung’s thoughts on various topics and themes that comprise his theoretical corpus—from the personal unconscious, repression, dreams, good and evil, and the shadow, to collective phenomena such as the archetypes, synchronicity, the psychoid, the paranormal, God, and the Self, as well as his contributions to clinical method and technique including active imagination, inner dialogue, and the process of individuation and consciousness expansion. The interconnecting thread in Merkur's approach to the subject matter is to read Jung’s work through an ethical lens. What comes to light is how Merkur systematically portrays Jung as a moralist, but also as a complex thinker who situates the human being as an instinctual animal struggling with internal conflict and naturalized sin. Merkur exposes the tension and development in Jung’s thinking by exploring his innovative clinical-technical methods and experimentation, such as through active imagination, inner dialogue, and expressive therapies, hence underscoring unconscious creativity in dreaming, symbol formation, engaging the paranormal, and artistic productions leading to expansions of consciousness, which becomes a necessary part of individuation or the working through process in pursuit of self-actualization and wholeness. In the end, we are offered a unique presentation of Jung’s core theoretical and clinical ideas centering on an ethical fulcrum, whereby his moral psychology leads to a cure of souls. Jung’s Ethics will be of interest to academics, scholars, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of Jungian studies and analytical psychology, ethics, moral psychology, philosophy, religious studies, and mental health professionals focusing on the integration of humanities and psychoanalysis.
Jung's Nietzsche: Zarathustra, The Red Book, and “Visionary” Works
by Gaia DomeniciThis book explores C.G. Jung's complex relationship with Friedrich Nietzsche through the lens of the so-called 'visionary' literary tradition. The book connects Jung's experience of the posthumously published Liber Novus (The Red Book) with his own (mis)understanding of Nietzsche's Zarathustra, and formulates the hypothesis of Jung considering Zarathustra as Nietzsche's Liber Novus –– both works being regarded by Jung as 'visionary' experiences. After exploring some 'visionary' authors often compared by Jung to Nietzsche (Goethe, Hölderlin, Spitteler, F. T. Vischer), the book focuses upon Nietzsche and Jung exclusively. It analyses stylistic similarities, as well as explicit references to Nietzsche and Zarathustra in Liber Novus, drawing on Jung's annotations in his own copy of Zarathustra. The book then uses Liber Novus as a prism to contextualize and understand Jung's five-year seminar on Zarathustra: all the nuances of Jung's interpretation of Zarathustra can be fully explained, only when compared with Liber Novus and its symbology. One of the main topics of the book concerns the figure of 'Christ' and Nietzsche's and Jung's understandings of the 'death of God.'
Jung's Philosophy: Controversies, Quantum Mechanics, and the Self
by Lionel Corbett‘Jung’s Philosophy’ explores some of the controversial philosophical ideas that are both explicit and implicit within Jung’s psychology, comparing the philosophical assumptions between this and other psychotherapeutic traditions. Within this book, Corbett provides a useful introduction to the philosophical issues relevant to the practice of analytical psychology, and how these are viewed by different psychotherapeutic traditions. Most of the disagreement between schools of psychotherapy, and much of the comparative literature, centres around differences in theory and technique. This book takes a different, more fundamental approach by comparing schools of thought based on their underlying philosophical commitments. The author discusses the philosophical basis of various worldviews such as idealism and realism, beliefs about the nature of the psyche and the unconscious, and the mind-brain relationship, and focuses on the way in which Jung’s psychology addresses these and related issues, including the possible relevance of quantum mechanics to depth psychology. This text will be of value to practising psychotherapists and Jungian analysts, individuals undertaking the relevant training, and students in depth psychology.
Jung, Buddhism, and the Incarnation of Sophia: Unpublished Writings from the Philosopher of the Soul
by Henry CorbinExamines the work of Carl Jung in relation to Eastern religion, the wisdom teachings of the Sophia, Sufi mysticism, and visionary spirituality • Reveals the spiritual values underlying the psychoanalytic theories of Carl Jung • Explores the role of the Gnostic Sophia with respect to Jung’s most controversial essay, “Answer to Job” • Presents new revelations about Sufi mysticism and its relationship to esoteric Buddhist practices • Shows how the underlying spiritual traditions of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity mesh with the spiritual teachings of Buddhism Henry Corbin (1903-1978) was one of the most important French philosophers and orientalists of the 20th century. In this collection of previously unpublished writings, Corbin examines the work of Carl Jung in relationship to the deep spiritual traditions of Eastern religion, the esoteric wisdom teachings of Sophia, the transformational symbolism of alchemy, and Sufi mysticism. Looking at the many methods of inner exploration in the East, including the path of the Sufi and Taoist alchemy, Corbin reveals how the modern Western world does not have its own equivalent except in psychotherapy. Expanding Jung’s findings in light of his own studies of Gnostic and esoteric Islamic traditions, he offers a unique insight into the spiritual values underlying Jung’s psychoanalytic theories. Corbin analyzes Jung’s works on Buddhism, providing his own understanding of the tradition and its relationship to Sufi mysticism, and explores the role of the Gnostic Sophia with respect to Jung’s most controversial essay, “Answer to Job.” He also studies the rapport between the Gnostic wisdom of Sophia and Buddhist teachings as well as examining Sophia through the lens of Jewish mysticism. Explaining how Islamic fundamentalists have turned their back on the mystic traditions of Sufism, Corbin reveals how totalitarianism of all kinds threatens the transformative power of the imagination and the transcendent reality of the individual soul. He shows how the underlying spiritual traditions of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity mesh with the spiritual teachings of Buddhism and reinforce the unity of the esoteric teachings of the world’s great religions. Comparing the imaginal realm with Jung’s archetypal field, he shows how we could transform the world by spiritualizing Jung’s methods, enabling us to transcend duality and make the created world divine.
Jungian and Dialogical Self Perspectives
by Raya A. Jones Masayoshi MoriokaThis collection of cutting-edge chapters contributes to the psychology of personhood especially (but not only) as applied in psychotherapy. The chapters are written from Jungian, dialogical-self, or both perspectives and give insights into the history of ideas, clinical and research applications of these perspectives in the East and West.
Jung’s Alchemical Philosophy: Psyche and the Mercurial Play of Image and Idea (Philosophy and Psychoanalysis)
by Stanton MarlanTraditionally, alchemy has been understood as a precursor to the science of chemistry but from the vantage point of the human spirit, it is also a discipline that illuminates the human soul. This book explores the goal of alchemy from Jungian, psychological, and philosophical perspectives. Jung’s Alchemical Philosophy: Psyche and the Mercurial Play of Image and Idea is a reflection on Jung’s alchemical work and the importance of philosophy as a way of understanding alchemy and its contributions to Jung’s psychology. By engaging these disciplines, Marlan opens new vistas on alchemy and the circular and ouroboric play of images and ideas, shedding light on the alchemical opus and the transformative processes of Jungian psychology. Divides in the history of alchemy and in the alchemical imagination are addressed as Marlan deepens the process by turning to a number of interpretations that illuminate both the enigma of the Philosophers’ Stone and the ferment in the Jungian tradition. This book will be of interest to Jungian analysts and those who wish to explore the intersection of philosophy and psychology as it relates to alchemy.
Junk Science: An Overdue Indictment of Government, Industry, and Faith Groups that Twist Science for Their Own Gain
by Dan AginAn overdue indictment of government, industry, and faith groups that twist science for their own gain.During the next thirty years, the American public will suffer from a rampage against reason by special interests in government, commerce, and the faith industry, and the rampage has already begun. In Junk Science, Dan Agin offers a response—a stinging condemnation of the egregious and constant warping of science for ideological gain.In this provocative, wide-ranging, and hard-hitting book, Agin argues from the center that we will pay a heavy price for the follies of people who consciously twist the public's understanding of the real world.In an entertaining but frank tone, Agin separates fact from conveniently "scientific" fiction and exposes the data faking, reality ignoring, fear mongering, and outright lying that contribute to intentionally manufactured public ignorance. Many factions twist scientific data to maintain riches and power, and Agin outs them all in sections like these:--"Buyer Beware" (genetically modified foods, aging, and tobacco companies)--"Medical Follies" (chiropractics, health care, talk therapy)--"Poison and Bombs in the Greenhouse" (pollution, warfare, global warming)--"Religion, Embryos, and Cloning"--"Genes, Behavior, and Race"We already pay a heavy price for many groups' conscious manipulation of the public's understanding of science, and Junk Science arms us with understanding, cutting through the fabric of lies and setting the record straight.
Junkware (Posthumanities #13)
by Thierry BardiniAre we made of junk? Thierry Bardini believes we are. Examining an array of cybernetic structures from genetic codes to communication networks, he explores the idea that most of culture and nature, including humans, is composed primarily of useless, but always potentially recyclable, material otherwise known as "junk." Bardini unravels the presence of junk at the interface between science fictions and fictions of science, showing that molecular biology and popular culture since the early 1960s belong to the same culture-cyberculture-which is essentially a culture of junk. He draws on a wide variety of sources, including the writings of Philip K. Dick and William S. Burroughs, interviews with scientists as well as "crackpots," and work in genetics, cybernetics, and physics to support his contention that junk DNA represents a blind spot in our understanding of life.At the same time, Junkware examines the cultural history that led to the encoding and decoding of life itself and the contemporary turning of these codes into a commodity. But he also contends that, beyond good and evil, the essential "junkiness" of this new subject is both the symptom and the potential cure.
Juno's Aeneid: A Battle for Heroic Identity (Martin Classical Lectures #36)
by Joseph FarrellA major new interpretation of Vergil's epic poem as a struggle between two incompatible versions of the Homeric heroThis compelling book offers an entirely new way of understanding the Aeneid. Many scholars regard Vergil's poem as an attempt to combine Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey into a single epic. Joseph Farrell challenges this view, revealing how the Aeneid stages an epic contest to determine which kind of story it will tell—and what kind of hero Aeneas will be.Farrell shows how this contest is provoked by the transgressive goddess Juno, who challenges Vergil for the soul of his hero and poem. Her goal is to transform the poem into an Iliad of continuous Trojan persecution instead of an Odyssey of successful homecoming. Farrell discusses how ancient critics considered the flexible Odysseus the model of a good leader but censured the hero of the Iliad, the intransigent Achilles, as a bad one. He describes how the battle over which kind of leader Aeneas will prove to be continues throughout the poem, and explores how this struggle reflects in very different ways on the ethical legitimacy of Rome’s emperor, Caesar Augustus.By reframing the Aeneid in this way, Farrell demonstrates how the purpose of the poem is to confront the reader with an urgent decision between incompatible possibilities and provoke uncertainty about whether the poem is a celebration of Augustus or a melancholy reflection on the discontents of a troubled age.
Jurassic Park and Philosophy: The Truth Is Terrifying
by Jessica Watkins Nicolas MichaudTwenty-one philosophers join forces to investigate the implications of the Jurassic Park franchise for our lives, our values, and our future. <P><P>Human beings live and thrive by modifying nature, but when do the risks of changing nature outweigh the likely benefits? If it's true that "Life will find a way," should we view any modified or newly reconstituted life as a hazard?The new scientific information we could gain by bringing back T. Rex or other dinosaurs is immense, including greater understanding of biology leading to immeasurable medical benefits, but should we choose to let sleeping dinosaurs lie? And if we do bring them back by reconstituting them from ancient DNA, are they really what they were, or is something missing? If life will find a way, then why isn't the Dodo still around?How close are we, as a matter of fact, to achieving Jurassic Park? Are we really likely to see reconstituted dinosaurs or other ancient species in the near future? How do the different forces-human curiosity, profitability, and philanthropy-interact to determine what actually happens in such cases? What moral standards should be applied to those who try to bring back lost worlds? If velociraptors could talk, what would they tell us? The idea of bringing back the dead and the powerful is not limited to biological species. It also applies to bringing back old gods, old philosophies, old institutions, and old myths. If revived and once again let loose to walk the Earth, these too may turn out to be more dangerous than we bargained for.
Jurgen Habermas: Critic in the Public Sphere (Critics of the Twentieth Century)
by Robert C. HolubThe most important intellectual in the Federal Republic of Germany for the past three decades, Habermas has been a seminal contributor to fields ranging from sociology and political science to philosophy and cultural studies. Although he has stood at the centre of concern in his native land, he has been less readily accepted outside Germany, particularly in the humanities. His theoretical work postulates the centrality of communication and understanding, and as such his strategy of debate is marked by a politically informed unity of theory and practice. Holub's book is the first detailed account of the major debates in which Habermas has engaged since the early sixties. It stems from the conviction that his critics have not understood the political strategy behind his various interventions, or the consistency that informs his intellectual activities. Habermas is viewed in dialogue with important philosophical, sociological and political currents in West Germany. Holub demonstrates how Habermas pursues a course that incorporates various aspects of his opponents' positions, while simultaneously defending perceived threats to democracy and open discussion.
Jurgen Habermas: Key Concepts (Key Concepts)
by Barbara FultnerA rare systematic thinker, Habermas has furthered our understanding of modernity, social interaction and linguistic practice, societal institutions, rationality, morality, the law, globalization, and the role of religion in multicultural societies. He has helped shape discussions of truth, objectivity, normativity, and the relationship between the human and the natural sciences. This volume provides an accessible and comprehensive conceptual map of Habermas' theoretical framework and its key concepts, including the theory of communicative action, discourse ethics, his social-political philosophy and their applications to contemporary issues. It will be an invaluable resource for both novice readers of Habermas and those interested in a more refined understanding of particular aspects of his work.