Homo Mimeticus: A New Theory of Imitation - Softcover

Lawtoo, Nidesh

Softcover

ISBN 10: 9462703469 ISBN 13: 9789462703469

Publisher: Leuven University Press, 2022

Synopsis

Imitation is, perhaps more than ever, constitutive of human originality. Many things have changed since the emergence of an original species called Homo sapiens, but in the digital age humans remain mimetic creatures: from the development of consciousness to education, aesthetics to politics, mirror neurons to brain plasticity, digital simulations to emotional contagion, (new) fascist insurrections to viral contagion, we are unconsciously formed, deformed, and transformed by the all too human tendency to imitate―for both good and ill. Crossing disciplines as diverse as philosophy, aesthetics, and politics, Homo Mimeticus proposes a new theory of one of the most influential concepts in western thought (mimesis) to confront some of the hypermimetic challenges of the present and future.

Written in an accessible yet rigorous style, Homo Mimeticus appeals to both a specialized and general readership. It can be used in courses of modern and contemporary philosophy, aesthetics, political theory, literary criticism/theory, new media studies, and new mimetic studies.

Free ebook available at OAPEN Library, JSTOR, Project Muse, and Open Research Library

About this title

About the Author

Nidesh Lawtoo is professor of philosophy and literature at KU Leuven and principal investigator of the ERC project, Homo Mimeticus.

Edition details

• Publisher: Leuven University Press
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9462703469
• ISBN 13: 9789462703469
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 350