Prometheus and Gaia (Paperback)

Harrison Fluss

ISBN 10: 1839989262 / ISBN 13: 9781839989261

Published by Anthem Press, London, 2023

About this Item

Paperback. An examination of the ideological positions of Futurism and Eco-PessimismPrometheus and Gaia examines the ideological positions of Futurism and Eco-Pessimism. While these are rarely spoken about in mainstream discourse, they do have strong resonances in today's popular politics and culture. In light of existential threats posed by climate change, disruptive technologies and economic crises, many have grown weary of the 'small fixes' offered by mainstream policy-makers. Radical change thus appears necessary, as Futurism and Eco-Pessimism emerge as two fundamental challenges to the status quo. The Futurist claims that the current dynamism of technology is incompatible with human limitations, while the Eco-Pessimist sees the climate crisis as symptomatic of a broader human domination over nature. What these seemingly opposite currents have in common is a shared rejection of the human frame as grounding politics; each seeks to subordinate the human in favour of a wholly alien other, either in the form of an anarchic nature or a dynamic technology. To transcend this strange coincidence of opposites, Prometheus and Gaia makes the positive case for a humanism that is rationalist without being anthropocentric. Prometheus and Gaia explores two currents in contemporary politics: a Futurism which sees boundless technology as a salvific force and an Eco-Pessimism which sees human innovation as inherently destructive. While apparent opposites, these two currents share in common a rejection of Enlightenment humanism, or the idea that politics should fit the human frame. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781839989261

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Prometheus and Gaia (Paperback)
• Publisher: Anthem Press, London
• Publication Date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1839989262
• ISBN 13: 9781839989261
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Prometheus and Gaia examines the ideological positions of Futurism and Eco-Pessimism. While these are rarely spoken about in mainstream discourse, they do have strong resonances in today’s popular politics and culture. In light of existential threats posed by climate change, disruptive technologies and economic crises, many have grown weary of the “small fixes” offered by mainstream policy-makers. Radical change thus appears necessary, as Futurism and Eco-Pessimism emerge as two fundamental challenges to the status quo. The Futurist claims that the current dynamism of technology is incompatible with human limitations, while the Eco-Pessimist sees the climate crisis as symptomatic of a broader human domination over nature. What these seemingly opposite currents have in common is a shared rejection of the human frame as grounding politics; each seeks to subordinate the human in favor of a wholly alien other, either in the form of an anarchic nature or a dynamic technology. To transcend this strange coincidence of opposites, Prometheus and Gaia makes the positive case for a humanism that is rationalist without being anthropocentric.

About the Author

Harrison Fluss is a philosophy and political science lecturer in New York City and a corresponding editor for Historical Materialism. His writing has appeared in Jacobin Magazine and the New Republic.

Landon Frim is an assistant professor of philosophy at Florida Gulf Coast University, USA. His research focuses on the Enlightenment rationalism of Baruch Spinoza and its implications for contemporary politics.