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Nadin, Mihai, 1938-

"The Civilization of Illiteracy"

There are many activities-too many to
list-in which humans can be entirely replaced by machines.
Extreme effort, exposure to chemicals, radiation, and other
unfriendly elements could be avoided. However, doing away with
the living person whose identity is constituted in work
experiences makes the activity itself questionable. It is no
longer the case that we only talk about genetic control of
populations, or about mind control, about creating machines
endowed with extreme capabilities, including control of the
people who made them. These are distinct possibilities, to which
we are closer than many believe. Neither science nor technology,
even less philosophy, can afford to ignore the conflict
immanent in the situation, or the danger posed by giving in to
solutions resulting from a limited perspective, or from our
dedication to make real everything that is possible. After all,
we can already destroy the planet, but we do not, or at least not
so radically as it could be destroyed. Short of being paralyzed
by all these dangers, science has to question its own condition.
In view of this, it is far from accidental that sciences in the
civilization of illiteracy rediscover philosophy, or they
re-philosophize themselves.
Quo vadis philosophy?
The language of wisdom
Reflecting upon human beings and their relation to the outside
world (nature, culture, society) constitutes a determined form
of philosophical experience.


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