Francesca Ferrando Bücher

Posthumanism is the philosophy of our time, a necessary perspective in the reflection about planet Earth and the future of humanity. The term 'posthuman' redefines the notion of 'the human' in tune with the scientific and bio-technological developments, and the socio-cultural, ethical and environmental imperatives of our age. The philosophical landscape, which has since developed, includes several movements and schools of thought, such as Posthumanism, Transhumanism, Anti-humanism and New Materialism. This book explains the similarities and differences between these various currents and offers an original contribution to Philosophical Posthumanism, uncovering its historical, theoretical, ontological and epistemological horizons. Philosophical Posthumanism is a philosophy of mediation which deconstructs any strict hierarchy by embracing an interdisciplinary approach, which merges critical thinking, evolutionary biology, quantum physics and the practice of awareness, among other related fields. Its impact goes beyond academia to encompass society as a whole, emerging in the global paradigm shifts towards coexistence.

This book offers a comprehensive reflection on the existential condition of the 21st century. A visionary introduction to existential posthumanism, it takes the form of eight meditations of posthuman self-inquiry. Existential posthumanism embraces the question ‘Who am I?’ in relation to: 'Where, When, and Why are We?'. This journey of self-discovery engages with a wide range of knowledge and expertise – from ancient paths of wisdom to the latest developments in science and biotechnologies; from Paleolithic times to the futures of radical life extension. The book declutters the habit of being human: as individuals, as societies, as a species. Letting go of the need for anthropocentric mastery and species-specific ambitions, the reader emerges regenerated. Being posthuman, in the 21st century, entails awareness of inter-being: from our symbiotic co-evolutions to the rights of Nature; from the geological time of the Anthropocene to the rise of Big Data and artificial intelligence. In ecology, biology, technology and ontology, the manifold paths of posthuman self-realization will reveal that we are all co-creators in the existential unfolding: our lives are our ultimate works of art. The Art of Being Posthuman is a self-help guide to navigate our brave new world.