The Incandescent

Description

The first translation of the volumes in Michel Serres' classic 'Humanism' tetralogy, this ambitious philosophical narrative explores what it means to be human. With his characteristic breadth of references including art, poetry, science, philosophy and literature, Serres paints a new picture of what it might mean to live meaningfully in contemporary society. He tells the story of humankind (from the beginning of time to the present moment) in an attempt to affirm his overriding thesis that humans and nature have always been part of the same ongoing and unfolding history. This crucial piece of posthumanist philosophical writing has never before been released in English. A masterful translation by Randolph Burks ensures the poetry and wisdom of Serres writing is preserved and his notion of what humanity is and might be is opened up to new audiences. Title Page Copyright Page Contents Chapter 1: Memory and Forgetfulness Descent into forgetfulness Chapter 2: Nature and Culture Descent into dedifference Descents into dormition Descent into incandescence Identity, belongingnesses Spaces and times Prescription Chapter 3: Access to the Universal The ancient tragic The archaic and contemporary tragic The universality of evil and of the solution Proof by large numbers The black box Vers [towards]: The root of the universal Physical culture The second physical culture: Bioculture Auto-evolution or incarnation Panorama Chapter 4: The Grand Narrative Chronopedia Chapter 5: An Appeal to Universities: For a Common Knowledge Notes