<b><i>Frankenstein</i> on Language and Becoming (Post)Human</b> // <i>Frankenstein</i> sobre el lenguaje y la conversión en (post)humano

Autori

  • Felice Cimatti University of Calabria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37536/ECOZONA.2016.7.1.976

Parole chiave:

Shelley’s “monster, ” Condillac’s statue, Wittgenstein “private language, ” Lacanian “mirror stage, ” post human community // "Monstruo" de Shelley, estatua de Condillac, “lenguaje privado” en Wittgenstein, “estadio del espejo” de Lacan, comunidad posthumana

Abstract

      The “monster” in Shelley’s Frankenstein is a body forced to become human by itself, without any help from other human beings. This process necessarily fails, because there is no humanity without sociality. The case of the “monster” is confronted with two similar cases: Condillac’s statue in Traité des sensations and Wittgenstein’s “private language” in Philosophical Investigations. What the “monster” lacks is an external social and linguistic mirror where it could recognize itself as a human being. But the “creature” is still too human to endure its new post-human condition. The main theoretical consequences of such a hybrid state are analyzed here. In particular, the paper ends with the proposal of a tentative concept of “post human community.”

 

Resumen

      El “monstruo” en Frankenstein de Shelley es un cuerpo forzado a convertirse en humano por sí mismo, sin la ayuda de otros seres humanos. Este proceso está condenado al fracaso, porque no hay humanidad sin socialidad. El caso del “monstruo” es confrontado con otros dos casos parecidos: la estatua de Condillac en Traité des sensations y el “lenguaje privado” en Wittgenstein en Investigaciones Filosóficas. Lo que al “monstruo” le falta es un espejo externo, social y lingüístico, dónde poder reconocerse a sí mismo como ser humano. La "criatura" es todavía demasiado humana para sobrellevar su nueva condición post-humana. En este artículo se analizan las principales consecuencias teóricas de tal estado híbrido. En concreto, este trabajo finaliza con la propuesta del concepto provisional "comunidad post-humana".

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Biografia autore

Felice Cimatti, University of Calabria

Associate Professor in Philosophy of Language

Department of Humanistic Studies

University of Calabria, Italy

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Pubblicato

2016-06-15

Fascicolo

V. 7 N. 1 (2016): Animal Humanities

Sezione

Articles: Animal Humanities

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