What propositional fits can be made between the concept of noosphere in De Chardin, Haught, Stiegler, and the humanistic historiography of Toynbee, Williams, and Habermas?
Several points of contact can be made between the concept of the noosphere as presented by Teilhard de Chardin, Haught, and Stiegler, and the humanistic historiography of Toynbee, Williams, and Habermas.
Teilhard de Chardin:
Teilhard saw the universe as a historical process, leading to the geosphere, biosphere, and the noosphere, which is a “thinking layer” composed of human societies, cultures, and technologies.
He believed the noosphere is a crucial development in cosmic history that cosmologists should consider….
For Teilhard, the universe is inclined to produce subjects and this infuses the story of nature with promise.
He saw the noosphere as evolving psychically rather than spatially.
Teilhard’s concept includes the organization and concentration of research on humanity and the conjunction of science and religion.
Teilhard emphasized the biological foundation of the noosphere, viewing it not just as an analogy but as an intensely living entity.
John Haught:
Haught applies Teilhard’s ideas to contemporary questions about the universe, life, thought, and God.
Haught sees human history as an extension of the cosmic story and advocates for Big History (BH) to include the “inside story” of religious subjectivity….
Haught notes the universe has given rise to increasingly sentient, conscious, and creative modes of being and that the emergence of life and complex brains led to “information” and “thought” explosions.
Haught suggests that extraterrestrial noospheres might also be created, potentially leading to a cosmic extension of consciousness.
Haught emphasizes that any purpose to the universe can only be symbolized through metaphors and analogies.
Bernard Stiegler:
Stiegler views the transformation of the biosphere into a technosphere and exosphere from an exosomatic standpoint.
He sees the noosphere as being undermined by “denoetization brought by total proletarianization” and computational nihilism, referring to Heidegger’s concept of Gestell.
Stiegler emphasizes the need for “noodiversity” for the exosomatic becoming of the biosphere into a noosphere, which is threatened by the implosion of the Anthropocene as an exospheric Gestell.
He advocates for a re-evaluation of noetic functions from an exosomatic viewpoint, considering data architectures and formats of the “extended mind”.
Stiegler stresses that noesis stems from auto-exosomatization and becomes hetero-exosomatization and requires localization in a neganthropic and instrumented space.
Stiegler analyzes noesis as enabling the constitution of exosomatic loops, forming spirals of transindividuation that act as therapies.
Connections to Humanistic Historiography (Toynbee, Williams, Habermas):
Historical narrative: Both Teilhard and humanistic historians aim to construct comprehensive narratives. Teilhard and Haught connect cosmic and human history…. Toynbee analyzed the plots of stories that repeat in different contexts and forms.
Cultural and Social Development: The noosphere’s development relates to cultural, intellectual, artistic, and technological advancements. Stiegler focuses on the impact of technology and proletarianization on noetic functions. This aligns with the interests of Williams and Habermas in cultural and social transformations.
Critique of Modernity: Stiegler critiques the denoetization and computational nihilism of the technosphere. This resonates with Habermas’s critique of modernity’s rationalization processes and their impact on communicative action.
Moral and Ethical Considerations: Haught emphasizes that theology should approach transhumanism with reverence and creativity while enhancing values like vitality and subjectivity. Toynbee’s consideration of morality can be understood in terms of Vernadsky’s biochemical account of the biosphere. This connects to the ethical concerns of Williams and Habermas regarding social justice and the good life.
Cosmic Purpose and Meaning: Haught explores the potential of astrobiology and multiple universes in the context of cosmic purpose. Teilhard’s vision provides a framework for thinking about cosmic possibilities beyond typical scientific or religious perspectives.
Points of Synthesis:
Evolution and Progress: Teilhard, Haught, and the humanistic historians share an interest in evolution and progress. Teilhard sees the universe as a genesis, with the noosphere as a crucial stage. Humanistic historians examine the progress and transformations of societies and cultures.
Interdisciplinarity: The concept of the noosphere calls for interdisciplinary approaches, combining science, technology, philosophy, and theology…. This aligns with the broad intellectual scope of Toynbee, Williams, and Habermas.
Critique of Reductionism: Haught critiques the materialist philosophies that reduce everything to lifeless matter. Stiegler critiques the reduction of noetic functions to algorithmic calculation. This resonates with the humanistic historians’ resistance to overly deterministic or reductionist explanations of human behaviour and history.
Hope and Future: Haught sees the universe’s tendency to give rise to subjects as a reason for hope. Stiegler focuses on the promise of neganthropy as a way to overcome the Entropocene. These perspectives align with the humanistic historians’ concern for envisioning a better future for humanity.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Habermas, Jürgen (1991). Knowledge and Human Interests, Polity Press
Habermas, Jürgen (1991). The Theory of Communicative Action : Lifeworld and Systems, a Critique of Functionalist Reason, Volume 2, Polity Press
Habermas, Jürgen (1992) Communication and the Evolution of Society, Polity Press
Habermas, Jürgen (1997). Between Facts and Norms: Contributions to a Discourse Theory of Law and Democracy, Polity Press
Habermas, Jürgen (2010). Legitimation Crisis, Polity Press
NotebookLM
Spate O. (1953). Reflections on Toynbee’s a study of history: A geographer’s view, Historical Studies: Australia and New Zealand, 5:20, 324-337, DOI: 10.1080/10314615308594958
Stiegler, Bernard (1998). Technics and Time, 1 The Fault of Epimetheus (Meridian Crossing Aesthetics), Stanford University Press.
Williams, Bernard (1981). Moral Luck, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Williams, Bernard (1985). Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy, London: Fontana
Williams, Bernard (1995). Making Sense of Humanity, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Williams, Bernard (1995). World, Mind, and Ethics: Essays on the ethical philosophy of Bernard Williams, J.E.J.Altham and Ross Harrison (eds.), with “Replies” by Bernard Williams. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
Williams, Bernard (2002). Why Philosophy Needs History, London Review of Books, October 17, 7–9.
Williams, Bernard (2002): Truth and Truthfulness: An Essay in Genealogy, Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Williams, Bernard (2005). Philosophy as a Humanistic Discipline, Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Williams, Bernard (2005). The Sense of the Past: Essays on the History of Philosophy, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
Williams, Bernard, ‘Berlin, Isaiah (1909–97)’, in Routledge Encyclopaedia of Philosophy (London and New York, 1998: Routledge), vol. 1, 750–3
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