Affirmative Ethics – the philosophy of the big YES!

The posthuman convergence, defined as the simultaneous occurrence of cognitive capitalism (aka Fourth Industrial Revolution) and the climate change (aka Sixth Extinction), encourages a critical reappraisal of what counts as human, and how humans relate to non-humans and living matter itself. That includes a serious reconsideration of the negative passions, the experience of pain, mourning and dispossession that are significant features of the posthuman condition.

Caught between technologically-driven optimism and ecologically-based despair, both human and non-human dwellers of this planet face uncertain times and deep fears. These include environmental devastation, unequal distribution of wealth and access to the new technologies, the persistence of technologically mediated wars and surveillance strategies which, together with the rise of racism, xenophobia and illiberal governance, are defining features of our times. This lecture proposes a form of ethical accountability developed from the critiques of both anthropocentrism and exclusive humanism. A neo-materialist affirmative ethics for posthuman subjects is proposed, in order to deal with the conflicts and challenges of our current predicament. 

Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier.