Uncertainty and Its Discontents: Worldviews in World Politics

Worldviews are the unexamined, pre-theoretical foundations of the approaches with which we understand and navigate the world, and this volume provides the first major study of worldviews in international relations. Advances in twentieth-century physics and cosmology have fostered the articulation of alternative worldviews, rivaling conventional Newtonian humanism and its assumption that the world is constituted by controllable risks. The confluence of risk and uncertainty requires an awareness of alternative worldviews, alerts us to possible intersections between humanist Newtonianism and hyper-humanist Post-Newtonianism, and reminds us of the relevance of science, religion, and moral values in world politics.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 07 July 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Worldviews are the unquestioned, pre-theoretical underpinnings of the approaches we use to comprehend and navigate the world. This volume offers the first significant study of worldviews in international relations. Alternative worldviews have emerged as a result of developments in twentieth-century physics and cosmology that challenge anthropocentrism, rivaling conventional Newtonian humanism and its assumption that the world is made up of controllable risks. This is significant because it allows us to accept uncertainties that are an inescapable part of many aspects of life, such as public health, the environment, finance, security, and politics, which are obscured by the conventional belief that the world is governed solely by risk. The interplay of risk and uncertainty necessitates an understanding of alternative worldviews, raises awareness of potential intersections between humanist Newtonianism and hyper-humanist Post-Newtonianism, and underscores the importance of science, religion, and moral values in global politics. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Weight: 527g
ISBN-13: 9781009068970