Love & Philosophy #48: In Defense of the Human Being with Thomas Fuchs
Jan 27, 2025
Join Thomas Fuchs, the acclaimed philosopher and psychiatrist from Heidelberg University, as he navigates profound questions about humanity's essence amidst technological upheaval. He discusses the concept of 'conviviality,' emphasizing the interconnectedness of human experiences. Fuchs contrasts our distinctiveness from machines and explores the critical impact of embodiment on self-perception. Delve into the oscillation between self-contempt and self-aggrandizement, highlighting the necessity of restoring balance in our lives and relationships in a digitized world.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Defense of Humanity
- The human being needs defending due to technological advancements questioning our embodied nature.
- Transhumanism, virtualization, and AI challenge the traditional image of humans as embodied beings connected to others.
Human Instability
- Humans oscillate between self-contempt and a desire for omnipotence, possibly due to our eccentric position.
- This allows us to transcend ourselves and connect with others but also imagine ourselves as greater than we are.
Embodiment
- We often think of the body dualistically, as something we have, not something we are.
- Our true embodiment is a vital feeling of being alive, emerging from the body's interaction with the brain.
