Humanism Anti-Authoritarianism and Literary Aesthetics

Presenting pragmatist humanism as a form of anti-authoritarianism this book sheds light on the contemporary significance of pragmatist aesthetics and the revival of humanism.This interdisciplinary study shows that a mediation between pragmatist aesthetics – which emphasizes the significance of creating making and inventing – and Marxist materialist aesthetics – which values form – promises interesting results and that the former can learn from the latter.. In doing so Ulf Schulenberg discusses 3 layers of the multi-layered phenomenon that is the revival of humanism: He first explains the potential of a pragmatist humanism clarifying the contemporary significance of humanism. He then argues that pragmatist humanism is a form of anti-authoritarianism. Finally he shows the possibility of bringing together the resurgence of humanism and a renewed interest in the work of aesthetic form by arguing that pragmatist aesthetics needs a more complex conception of form.. Establishing a transatlantic theoretical dialogue Humanism Anti-Authoritarianism and Literary Aesthetics brings together literary and aesthetic theory philosophy and intellectual history. It discusses a broad range of authors – from Emerson Whitman James Nietzsche Proust and Dewey to Wittgenstein Lukács Adorno Jameson Latour and Rorty – to illuminate how humanism pragmatism and anti-authoritarianism are interlinked.