Full Description
One of the most original and influential thinkers of the twentieth century was Jean Gebser, whose varied writings on the philosophy of culture gave birth to postmodernist thought. In spite of his prominence internationally, much of his work has not been translated into English. This book is the first collection of essays on Gebser to appear in English. The contributors, who are experts in architecture, philosophy, modern languages, fine arts, communications studies, and other diverse fields, offer a striking examination of the pervasive and wide ranging impact of Gebser on all aspects of modern culture.
The opening chapters of this multidisciplinary study provide a solid theoretical foundation by analyzing the essence of Gebser's mode of inquiry and by noting the distinguishing features of his theory of culture. The chapters that follow assess his influence on the physical sciences, popular culture, fine art, politics, and other aspects of civilization. The volume convincingly demonstrates that Gebser is among the first postmodernist theorists, and it shows that he predicted the emergence and shortcomings of postmodernism long before McLuhan, Derrida, Foucault, and others. This valuable and original text will be of great interest to anyone concerned with the phenomenology of culture and the birth of postmodernist thought.
Contents
Preface
Introduction
Gebser's New Understanding by Eric Mark Kramer and Algis Mickunas
Gebser and Culture by Eric Mark Kramer
The Exhaustion of Creativity: Gebser on the Physical Sciences and Their Socio-Cultural Impact by Friedrich G. Winter translated by Eveline Lang
Media Power Working Over the Body: An Application of Gebser to Popular Culture by Joseph J. Pilotta
The Significance of Aperspectival Art in Light of Gebser's Work by Rosanna Vitale
Magic and Technological Culture by Algis Mickunas
Gebser's Understanding of Political Practice by Joseph F. Freeman
Gebser and Postmodernity: A Theory of Socio-Cultural Change by Vytautas Kavolis
Gebser and Pedagogy: The Integral Difference by Elizabeth Lozano and Algis Mickunas
Jean Gebser, the Commonweal, and the Politics of Difference by John W. Murphy and Jung Min Choi
Name Index
Subject Index
