Dear all,
Our autumn series of digital events begins tomorrow. All being well, the full line-up will be completed in the week ahead. I’m excited to get started and hopeful, as always, that this will be the best series yet!
This week: 1) an essay on the body, the microbiome, and the self by philosopher of biology Ellen Clarke; and 2) an event with Arianne Shahvisi in which she will offer guidance to progressives on how to defend their views more effectively in an increasingly polarized public sphere. More on all this below!
Your Sunday Read
“The Post-Human Body: or How Human Do You Think You Are?” by Ellen Clarke. How human do you think you are? In her essay, philosopher of biology Ellen Clarke notes that there is “a deep-rooted folk concept of the human organism, which assumes that our bodies are pure and uncontaminated by outside matter.” How, then, are we to think of ourselves in light of emerging research showing that the average human body includes up to ten times as many microbial cells as humans ones. Does that makes us just 10% human!? Clarke is a wonderful and engaging guide through the various philosophical questions raised by the rise of influential post-human critiques of traditional conceptions of embodiment, agency, and selfhood. You can read the essay here.
Clarke’s essay is accompanied by some extraordinary images from artist Megan Diddie:
Monday Event: 11am PT/2pm ET/7pm UK
“Arguing for a Better World”: In this opening event of our autumn series, philosopher Arianne Shahvisi will draw on examples from everyday life (Can white people be victims of racism? Is it sexist to say “men are trash”? Should we worry about “cancel culture”?) to show us how to work through various thorny moral questions, equipping us to not only identify our positions but to carefully defend them. She will be in conversation with philosopher and musician Andrés Saenz de Sicilia. This promises to be a really exciting start to the series. You can find out more and register for the event here.
Ending
The Philosopher is unfunded and relies on your support to keep doing the work we do. You can offer a donation, join us via Patreon, or become a digital subscriber (our print subscriptions are now incorporated into the Patreon membership). All support is greatly appreciated!
Wishing you all a lovely Sunday, wherever you are.
Anthony Morgan
Editor