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John Ruskin: Prophet of the Anthropocene

Activity: Participating in or organising an event typesParticipation in conference -Mixed Audience

7/02/2020

Conference paper entitled: Ruskin and the insolence of science

Abstract: For Ruskin the world was equally an object of science and of the human imagination. His work bypassed orthodox thinking. It was not just a set of contents but a powerful set of imaginaries, reflecting complex processes of vision and embodiment, the verifiable and the imagined, the objective and the creative. Writing in 1834, Ruskin criticised what he described as ‘the insolence of science’ in claiming for itself a separate function of the human mind, which he himself regarded as ‘indivisible’ (Works, 22.263).

This presentation will explore Ruskin’s legacy for the 21st century through an investigation of his interdisciplinary working methods. In particular, the focus will be on fundamental questions of world-building and of what it means to be human. Ruskin’s emphasis on plural repertoires of knowledge and the interplay of scientific knowledge and social and cultural value seem increasingly relevant today.

Event (Conference)

Title John Ruskin: Prophet of the Anthropocene
Date7/02/20 → …
Website
LocationThe John J. Reilly Center for Science, Technology and Values, University of Notre Dame
City
Country/TerritoryUnited States
Degree of recognitionInternational event