Thomas Nail, author of The Philosophy of Movement, delves into the significance of motion as a fundamental force in human history. He critiques Western thought's bias towards stasis, exploring how this affects identity and politics today. The discussion sheds light on indeterminacy in both philosophy and quantum physics, stressing the interconnectedness of existence. Additionally, Nail highlights the role of migration as a historical driver of societal change, urging a rethink of citizenship in our fast-moving world.
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Movement Explained by Stasis
Western philosophy often explains movement using static concepts.
This bias towards stasis seeks to explain movement away rather than understand it.
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Hierarchy of Static and Fluid
A hierarchy exists where static concepts are superior to dynamic ones.
This informs political views, subordinating groups associated with movement and change.
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Metaphysics of Movement
The question of movement is tied to how we live and how we move.
Aristotle's works reveal that movement and passivity determine placement on the chain of being.
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About 'The Philosophy of Movement: An Introduction':
Why are city dwellers worldwide walking on average ten percent faster than they were a decade ago? Why are newcomer immigrant groups so often maligned when migration has always constituted civilization? To analyze and understand the depth of the reasons, Thomas Nail suggests that it serves us well to turn to a philosophy of movement. Synthesizing and extending many years of his influential work, The Philosophy of Movement is a comprehensive argument for how motion is the primary force in human and natural history.
Nail critiques the bias toward stasis at the core of Western thought, asking: what would a philosophy that began with the primacy of movement look like? Interrogating the consequences of movement throughout history and in daily life in the twenty-first century, he draws connections and traces patterns between scales of reality, periods of history, and fields of knowledge. In our age of rapid movements shaped by accelerating climate change and ensuing mass global migration, as well as ubiquitous digital media, Nail provides a contemporary philosophy that helps us understand how we got here and how to grapple with these interlocking challenges.
With a foreword by philosopher Daniel W. Smith, The Philosophy of Movement: An Introduction is a must-read for scholars and students not only of philosophy but also history, anthropology, science and technology studies, mobility studies, and other fields across the humanities and social sciences.
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