After Humanism: Politics of Nature and Parliament of Things in Bruno Latour

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After Humanism: Politics of Nature and Parliament of Things in Bruno Latour

¹University of Paris 8

ABSTRACT
열림/닫힘 버튼

Bruno Latour has proposed the concepts of “politics of nature” and “parliament of things” to characterize the new relationship between humanity and nature “after humanism” and the modern era. We demonstrate here the consistency and plausibility of this program, beyond its provocative appearance. First, in order to reconcile men and things, men and nature, it is necessary to attenuate the conceptual oppositions that divide them, foremost among which is the opposition between the “subject” and the “object,” or the “active” and the “passive.” According to Latour’s theory of action (inspired by French philosopher Étienne Souriau), things are not merely passive, but can also “act” in a somewhat circular intercourse with men: Men are the products of things they make as well as things are the products of men’s activity. Then if, strictly speaking, things do not speak, they can nevertheless “speak” with men, through their respective “spokesmen” (scientists and politicians).
KEYWORDS
열림/닫힘 버튼

Bruno Latour, Étienne Souriau, parliament of things, post-humanism, puppet master, spokesmen, theory of action

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