There's No "I" in Human: Toward a Posthuman Ethics | Michael Shirzadian | TEDxOhioStateUniversity

Michael teaches rhetoric and writing at Ohio State University. His interest in posthumanism began with his dissatisfaction with liberal humanism, especially with how liberal humanism seems to hold as "ideal" or "privileged" a certain kind of body (white, male, able-bodied) and to exclude others. Michael Shirzadian is a PhD student in Rhetoric, Composition, and Literacy. His research orbits contemporary rhetorical theory, disability studies, and critical race theory-especially the ways these areas intersect with the logics of political economy.
Michael is a posthuman-an amalgam of many things, including: American and Iranian culture, caring family members, way too visits to Chipotle, the city of Columbus and its history, anxiety, depression, a mean cocktail of SSRIs, a number of super good friends, the legacies of Christian evangelicalism, racism (esp. after 9/11), too many graduate courses, a kickass partner, a tuxedo cat, a great Pyrenees dog, the excesses of post-structuralist philosophy, and a deep, unwieldy nostalgia. This is a partial list." This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@senantiasa]

Beautifully said... I can tell you're a good teacher by what you "tell your students all the time". I hope there will be more teachers like that.

[@paulmunyao8863]

this is a worthy talk to listen to

[@tegannesbitt7779]

This was such a good summary of posthumanism!!!

[@upasanagupta1010]

Very well explained with examples....thank you

[@pierredelopera2euro446]

The creator's paradox. In the beginning there was the end because the end took the form of the beginning and the beginning was the bing bang with everything that was born inside. The end was the last living species on earth. She had reached her evolution at its peak in knowledge. The last species had succeeded by a science unknown to modern humans to go back in time to become the universe we know. What we observe in the sky and on us is the result of the last transformation of this species which has become a universe. She became our creator if we can put it that way.

[@YutongXie-zs6sz]

beautiful

[@firstnamelastname159]

Homie is fully ripping off Rosi Bradotti with his analysis of the Vitruvian Man. It’s literally the whole first argument from her book, and doesn’t cite her. And I oop.

[@elijahackerly1798]

Are you American?

[@janeetasheikh498]

this just reminded me to fix my posture LMAO. also his take on the Vitruvian man pissed me off

[@lacydragon6569]

Watching this for a Media and flm culture class. This class is for real cultural philosophy.

[@peterjanssen5901]

Ah, Rhetoric, the gentlemanly way of BSing. I tell you, it got me out of many a scrape. Though I tend not to bear myself with a defeated posture.

[@robewalt2]

...what people consider brilliant baffles me... if I want to listen to puppets, I'll watch Sesame Street.

[@anupomkumarhazarika7046]

He is a brilliant speaker...

[@BrianMarcWhittaker]

Good talk and relevant points. I'm a Florida-resident and a person of color. I've been subject to these behaviours and can relate to the feelings one has in response to them. This is an interesting take on posthumanism. Thank you for sharing.

[@pierredelopera2euro446]

The creator's paradox. In the beginning there was the end because the end took the form of the beginning and the beginning was the bing bang with everything that was born inside. The end was the last living species on earth. She had reached her evolution at her peak in knowledge. The last species had succeeded by a science unknown to modern humans to go back in time to become the universe we know. What we observe in the sky and on us is the result of the last transformation of this species which has become a universe. She became our creator if we can put it that way. i don't speak english i use google translate

[@francesbrisco776]

More talks from Micheal ..I know that he has more to tell us...

[@frgt10]

I find it very interesting, that questioning human essence in the context of posthumanist analysis has always this historic cultural twist in it. Like these entities would have had any importance in the posthuman declaration of the absolute nonexistence of identities as we know it. As if culture and history was so holy important to posthumanist views that they are one of the few Aspects of human identity that deserved not to be degraded to structural violence and existential coping.

[@sarita5100]

Great speech, to get finally more and more awareness into those subtile and ruff ways how racism still works, thanks 🙏🕊❤️🌎🌍🌈

[@theuncomfortablethrill707]

why is it that when ever the turn "post" comes up "history" becomes the last 500-300 years?

[@koalakoala2344]

Because today, posthumanism, postmodernism, poststructuralism and so on, all want to build upon, criticize, develop, extend and reinvent humanism, modernism, structuralism etc and these were and still are the big ideas, starting with the renaissance.

[@javierborda8684]

I can't stand the fake preparedness of most ted talks

[@sarsedacn]

Bravo! Such a great speak. Criticism of humanism was right on the spot to the very end!

[@ajsjs9]

he's badass

[@Anabsurdsuggestion]

Sheesh. I guess he’s just young?

[@pierredelopera2euro446]

the creator's paradox The earth is a big house which shelters humans and animals etc ... Before humans there were dinosaurs and after humans there will be machines and after machines beings without a physical body and then there will be beings who will become universes and in this universe of humans. I believe that these beings who have evolved will go back in time before the creation of the universe to become the universe that we know. The beginning is actually the end of a thing. The beginning is the final transformation of evolved beings. I am French I do not speak English but I use google translate

[@TwinHumanities_]

This guy can use some info on memes

[@LuxSolari]

He doesn't know his history or his a plain liar. I know in a TED-like talk you need to tell a story to explain something complex, but ridiculing an "opposite" idea just to enlighten your is really low and misleading. Pure propaganda

[@roseCatcher_]

No.

[@pierredelopera2euro446]

The creator's paradox. In the beginning there was the end because the end took the form of the beginning and the beginning was the bing bang with everything that was born inside. The end was the last living species on earth. She had reached her evolution at its peak in knowledge. The last species had succeeded by a science unknown to modern humans to go back in time to become the universe we know. What we observe in the sky and on us is the result of the last transformation of this species which has become a universe. She became our creator if we can put it that way.

[@yoananda9]

this is how wokism started

[@troyarchers]

"Posthuman Ethics" seems like a contradiction in terms. Ethics, insofar as it is a branch of philosophy, is a human endeavor. Pointing out that humans come from different areas, different cultures and races, does not upend the ideals of humanism. People appealing to those ideals also combated racism and slavery. People appealing to humanist ideals are campaigning for criminal justice reform. The point at the end, about the nature of TED, feels equally confused. Yes, ideas have histories and are not formed in vacuums by individuals (anyone interested in the history of ideas takes this for granted), but ideas are articulated by individuals. Humans using language give voice to the ideas that they hold. It's a point of contention that doesn't actually conflict with anything in the values of humanists.

[@21stcenturyoptimist]

What he is trying to point out is that post-humanism is anti-essentialist about "human nature" and humanism is essentialist. Humanism is an anticuated way of thinking of things, post humanism is what came after, it provides a richer and deeper understanding of our place in the world. It removes persistent idealist/religious/theologic ideas about ourselves that modernist thinking retained from our religious past and reveals the dialectic between human and enviroment.

[@chapachuu]

I agree, but for different reasons. Ethics is typically humanist or anthropocentric whereas posthumanism deconstructs and challenges these ideas. There is an essay in "The Ecocrtiscism Reader" (I forget which one) that I read a while ago that challenges the concept "Posthuman Ethics" for the reason I listed.

[@galek75]

@@21stcenturyoptimist And you think this isn't a problem?

[@Fryguystudios]

@@galek75 Why is eliminating the transcendental abstract ideal "human" a problem?

[@galek75]

@@Fryguystudios Because it's a useful description? I think the eliminativist ought to explain themselves why they want to do away with a species-category like that. You might as well deny that the earth is round. In fact, I'd like to ask: what's wrong with essentialism, or for that matter, teleology?

[@yvonnehyatt8353]

There is no or hate or envy in the colors of the rainbow. Thanks

[@wiwilson1961]

9th grade humanities class? wtf? in the hood there is no such thing. YT and his uneven playing field.

[@cyborghobo7847]

These wackos never get to the point.

[@Uptown59]

Next

[@nobonkevantonder]

Why do I have such unease with young, white males, academicising their latest breakthroughs with such certainty, such little humbleness, such career-making accents and stances? All well-meant, but how far does deconstruction take this being who also wants to have a say in the world and cannot help stepping in what he deliberately contests? PIty that the final words had to slam the institution that gives him this platform. So youthful. Can anybody help them or me? How about calling Vesuvius them to start off with? So many opportunities lost here because the man themself is not cared for in an interrogating manner.

[@Repliforceable]

You're rambling

[@mathlogicb]

He says "Posthumanistic Chemisty", "Posthumanistic Mathematics"... Science is science. This what happens when people from Department of English who have no idea about science talk... After "Christian Science", here comes someothers.

[@tarunverma7779]

Actually its u who have no idea

[@markhampton3614]

Yeah, science has nothing to do with Western culture.

[@d.w.1805]

science is science, sure, but science has also historically been weaponised against groups of people. taking an extreme example, josef mengele was a scientist.

[@pablobarroso7193]

Agree, science is science. But, the scientific community is a social construction.

[@Emma56232]

Culture and science are deeply interconnected, so...