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The Sparks of Randomness, Volume 1 - Spermatic Knowledge (Hardcover, New)
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The Sparks of Randomness, Volume 1 - Spermatic Knowledge (Hardcover, New)
Series: Cultural Memory in the Present
Expected to ship within 12 - 17 working days
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"The Sparks of Randomness," Henri Atlan's magnum opus, develops his
whole philosophy with a highly impressive display of knowledge,
wisdom, depth, rigor, and intellectual and moral vigor. Atlan
founds an ethics adapted to the new power over life that modern
scientific knowledge has given us. He holds that the "results" of
science cannot ground any ethical or political truth whatsoever,
while human creative activity and the conquest of knowledge are a
double-edged sword. This first volume, "Spermatic Knowledge,"
begins with the Talmudic tale about the prophet Jeremiah's creation
of a golem, or artificial man. Atlan shows that the Jewish
tradition does not demonize man for creating and changing living
things--a charge often leveled at promoters of advanced
technologies, like biologists, who are accused of "playing God." To
the contrary, man is depicted as being the co-creator of the world.
Although Atlan believes that the fabrication of life "from scratch"
will take place in the near future, he posits that this achievement
will not really amount to "creating life" current biology and
biotechnologies have demonstrated that there is no absolute
distinction between life and non-life, no critical threshold whose
crossing would be taboo. He also debunks and demystifies our belief
in free will and our conviction, of theological origin, that there
would be no possibility for ethics if free will were shown to be an
illusion. Throughout, he combines science, religion, and ancient
and modern philosophy in unexpected and inspired ways. His radical,
uncompromising Spinozism allows him to propose a complete revision
of cognitive science and philosophy of mind, while showing that
their current impasses stem from remnants of traditional dualism.
From his brilliant reflections on time, he also derives exciting
considerations for medicine and epidemiology.
General
Imprint: |
Stanford University Press
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Country of origin: |
United States |
Series: |
Cultural Memory in the Present |
Release date: |
November 2010 |
First published: |
2010 |
Authors: |
Henri Atlan
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Translators: |
Lenn Schramm
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Dimensions: |
254 x 178 x 25mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover - Cloth / Cloth
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Pages: |
352 |
Edition: |
New |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-8047-7357-7 |
Categories: |
Books >
Science & Mathematics >
Science: general issues >
General
|
LSN: |
0-8047-7357-2 |
Barcode: |
9780804773577 |
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