Critical posthumanism promotes a holistic approach to reconceptualizing human existence and addresses the issue of anthropocentrism creatively while upholding social justice and ethical accountability. This research article studies spiritual endurance amid communal conflicts as depicted in the Malayalam fantasy drama Guru [Mentor] (1997), directed by Rajiv Anchal, to highlight how spirituality emerges as an aid to understanding a renewed meaning of what it means to be (post)human. The study employs a qualitative content analysis of the movie using the theoretical concepts of (i) mystical spirituality to explore the spiritual journey of the protagonist and the guru–shishya [mentor–disciple] relationship, and (ii) posthuman affirmative ethics to understand the contemporary relevance of spirituality in transcending anthropocentric hierarchies. In doing so, the article contrasts religious fanaticism with spiritual holism and also argues that spirituality should be an integral aspect of the critical posthumanist standpoint of Rosi Braidotti, investigating newer avenues in posthuman studies and sustainable development goals.
In Flesh and Silver, Stephen L. Burns imagines a future where doctors become surgical robots. This novel problematizes the ever-growing presence of technology in medical practice and its power to transform the dynamics of clinical relationships with the extinction of the human touch. This critical analysis explores the human–machine interplay in both modern medicine and the fictional world of Burns’s novel to prove that the posthuman surgeon is not too different from modern human surgeons. Three main themes are dissected: (1) the influence of technology in the transformation of the medical profession and surgery, (2) the reinvention of clinical touch from a posthuman perspective, and (3) the sense of otherness of the posthuman surgeon. Flesh and Silver is an example of how speculative fiction can contribute to the current debates about transhumanism and posthumanism, as this story problematizes not only the posthuman condition in contraposition to anthropocentrism, but also the dehumanizing nature of biomedical sciences, reinforced by the use of technology, for both doctors and patients.
This article responds to the complex dynamics of the contemporary classroom by thinking about teaching and learning in a posthuman context. The use of the term “posthuman” adheres to a characterization of the “posthuman condition” derived from Rosi Braidotti and Francesca Ferrando as the convergence of post-humanism, post-anthropocentrism, and post-dualism. Therefore teaching and learning in a posthuman context entail that this convergence is centered within the classroom, a process identified by three key features: zoe-ontological justice, the distributed nature of cognition and agency, and the prioritization of humility. Through a detailed examination of these features, this article demonstrates how teaching and learning in a posthuman context invite teachers and students to positively address the complexities inherent in the twenty-first century learning environment.
Critical posthumanism promotes a holistic approach to reconceptualizing human existence and addresses the issue of anthropocentrism creatively while upholding social justice and ethical accountability. This research article studies spiritual endurance amid communal conflicts as depicted in the Malayalam spirituality emerges as an aid to understanding a renewed meaning of what it means to be (post)human. The study employs a qualitative content analysis of the movie using the theoretical concepts of (i) mystical spirituality to explore the spiritual journey of the protagonist and the guru-shishya [mentor-disciple] relationship, and (ii) posthuman affirmative ethics to understand the contemporary relevance of spirituality in transcending anthropocentric hierarchies. In doing so, the article contrasts religious fanaticism with spiritual holism and also and sustainable development goals.
