Human Nature and the Ethics of Progress: Power and Purpose in 20th Century Religion, Science and Art

Geraci, Robert

ISBN 10: 3639088379 / ISBN 13: 9783639088373

Published by VDM Verlag, 2008

About this Item

Seller Inventory # I-9783639088373

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Human Nature and the Ethics of Progress: Power and Purpose in 20th Century Religion, Science and Art
• Publisher: VDM Verlag
• Publication Date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3639088379
• ISBN 13: 9783639088373
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Throughout 20th century culture, various efforts todefine the nature of progress directly contributed to competing visions of human nature. Theologians,scientists and artists struggled with one another,each group announcing different versions of the humansubject based upon its definition of progress.Progress in all groups was a deeply ethical concept,one that crossed the disciplinary boundaries assumedto exist between the cultural domains. By advocatingparticular visions of human nature, each groupoffered an ethical vision for human action. Thisdynamic is visible in a comparative approach toliberation theology, robotics, and the contemporaryart of Wolfgang Laib and the group Survival ResearchLaboratories. Just like the theologians, scientistsand artists make ethical claims as to what is theultimate good for humankind and both offer varietiesof salvation to compete with that of the theologians.Dr. Geraci's work shows that in religion, science andart, expectations for progress were key tounderstanding how these various groups andindividuals constructed the ethical values of theemerging human subject.

About the Author

Robert M Geraci is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies atManhattan College. He has written several essays on religion andtechnology and the book Apocalyptic AI: Visions of Heaven inRobotics, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality(forthcoming). He is blessed with a happy marriage and twowonderful children who share his love of hiking.