Preparing for Life in Humanity 2.0 (Hardback)

Preparing for Life in Humanity 2.0 is a follow-up to Fuller's widely discussed Humanity 2.0. It provides a more detailed analysis of several quite divergent futures for 'being human' in the 21st century. The book begins by discussing the philosophical foundations of Humanity 2.0, drawing attention to how recent changes in the conduct of science and its social relations reflect implicit changes in human self-understanding. Here three possible futures of 'being human' are sketched and ideologically interrelated: the ecological, the biomedical and the cybernetic. Then the book moves to Humanity 2.0's emerging political economy, which involves the redefinition of classical political and economic concepts, such as justice and productivity. Next the book turns to Humanity 2.0's 'anthropology', which means the living conditions and aspirations available to this new being. Then Humanity 2.0's ethical horizons are considered, focusing on the normative sensibility of the 'moral entrepreneur', a natural risk-taker whose blurring of traditional intuitions of 'good' and 'evil' may acquire greater significance and legitimacy in the future. Finally the book concludes with a revised general education curriculum for Humanity 2.0 that gives centre stage to changing attitudes to the brain.