Virgin Mary and the Neutrino: Reality in Trouble

Isabelle Stengers' Virgin Mary and the Neutrino explores the possibility of addressing modern practices through their divergence, developing an "ecology of practices" that includes cultural and political forces but is not reducible to them. She advocates for an approach to sciences that emphasizes the situated nature of each discipline and encourages thinking reality as what we can relate to through the generation of diverging concerns and obligations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 03 November 2023
Publisher: Duke University Press

In her groundbreaking work, Virgin Mary and the Neutrino, originally published in French in 2006 and now making its debut in English, Isabelle Stengers delves into the intriguing possibility of approaching modern practices not as a unified block but rather through their divergent paths. Drawing upon a diverse range of thinkers, from John Dewey to Gilles Deleuze, Stengers constructs an expansive and multifaceted "ecology of practices" that encompasses cultural and political forces while remaining inclusive yet distinct from them. At the core of her argument, Stengers advocates for a shift in the approach to sciences, emphasizing the importance of situating each discipline in relation to the specific relationships required to address the issues it seeks to confront. This departure from the traditional scientific/nonscientific binary, such as the opposition between the neutrino and the Virgin Mary, opens up a realm of possibilities for thinking about reality. Instead of perceiving reality as an impartial arbiter, Stengers proposes an ecology of practices that encourages us to perceive it as a tapestry of interconnected concerns and obligations. By generating diverging perspectives and responsibilities, we can develop a deeper understanding of the world and our place within it. Through this innovative and thought-provoking lens, Virgin Mary and the Neutrino offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of modern life, challenging us to reevaluate our assumptions and embrace a more inclusive and interconnected worldview.

Weight: 522g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478020295