An Anti-anthropic Approach to ‘Humanitas’ －A Realism on the Era of Post-Humanism

Abstract

This study aims to reconsider the norm of ‘humanitas’ that the liberal education pursues from the perspective of 21st century post-humanism. For the outcome of this reconsideration, I suggest an alternative view point about what we need regarding ‘humanitas’ at this time. The concept of ‘humanitas’ and its value to the world was coined and founded during the ancient Greek and Roman period, and after the Medieval period, which saw the rise of Christianity, it was revitalized with the movement of the Renaissance. However, I insist that humans entered a barbaric and disastrous stage at this time instead of one that led to an increase in humanitas. This is made all the more clear when we examine human history and the system that has led us into an ecological crisis after the advent of the 20th century. The 21st century of post-humanism is the era in which humans live with the new existences that never been experienced. The era of post-humanism needs to undergo a paradigm shift from anthropocentrism to ontocentrism. When we do not share the crucial values promulgated by ‘humanitas’ with our newly evolved non-anthropic existences, we are doomed to continue walk down a barbaric and disastrous path.