Humanity In-Between and Beyond

This volume explores the definitional problems and conceptual strategies involved in defining the human in the 21st century, offering a transdisciplinary platform for exploring new ideas and adjusting to the dynamic world. It emphasizes the need to transcend binary categories and re-examine the boundaries of normality and abnormality, human-nonhuman, and individual-collective.

Format: Hardback
Length: 218 pages
Publication date: 01 May 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This comprehensive volume delves into the intricate challenges and conceptual frameworks involved in defining the human entity. By transcending the boundaries of various disciplines and themes, it provides a multidisciplinary platform for exploring the novel perspectives of the human and adapting to the ever-evolving dynamics of our existence. The emergence of cyborgs and transhumans necessitates a urgent reevaluation of our understanding of humans as individuals and collective entities. The identity of the human in the 21st century eludes precise definitions rooted in simplistic and dichotomous categorizations. The discoveries and advancements of recent decades have challenged the binary classifications of human/nonhuman, human/machine, real/virtual, and thus paved the way for transdisciplinary considerations.

In this new world, the boundaries between normality and abnormality, a legacy of centuries of philosophical, medical, and scientific inquiry, require dismantling. We embark on a journey to reexamine, reunderstand, and redescribe what constitutes normalcy and abnormality, humanness and nonhumanity, individuality and collectivity, and reality and virtuality. We find ourselves at a pivotal stage, akin to the liminal phase of a global ritual, a stage of being in-between, between the old anthropocentric order and a new realm of blurred boundaries.

The volume explores a range of philosophical, bioethical, sociological, and cognitive approaches that have been developed to transcend the binaries of human-nonhuman, natural-artificial, individual-collective, and real-virtual. It offers a rich tapestry of insights and perspectives that challenge our preconceived notions and invite us to reimagine the possibilities of our human existence. By embracing the complexities and contradictions of our nature, we can cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.

Weight: 524g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031279447
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023