Harari: The New Grand Narrative

During his life-time, Gernot Böhme (1937-2022) provided a wide range of studies on alternatives in science, on a social science of nature, on Kant and the alienation of reason, on an ecological aesthetics, on phenomenology of the living body, on architecture and atmosphere, on invasive technologies, and much more. All of these reflect his commitment to make philosophy matter for the practice of living in a world that is shaped by modern science and technology. Twelve days after his 85th birthday and only a few days before his death, the Neue Züricher Zeitung published his critical essay on the popular writings of Yuval Noah Harari which, according to Böhme, provide a contemporary myth of the transcendence and demise of humanity through technology. Böhme‘s critical arguments are important because they expose how such myths leave us mystified, even paralyzed – fixated on prophecies of redemption or doom. Seeking to break Harari’s spell, Böhme proposes to pose differently the question of the human self.