Hope man
Hope man. A better world is possible. is a philosophical nonfiction book by Michael Schmidt-Salomons published by Piper Verlag in 2014 .
content
The script ties in with the previous book Keine Macht den Doofen. A polemic. on. The author's aim was to write a "counter-book" to Keine Macht den Stuffen under the working title Best of Menschheit . However, Schmidt-Salomon says goodbye to the cynicism that no power has shaped the stupid in the foreword of Hope Man . Unlike in this previous work, he describes the human being in hope human as the "most compassionate, cleverest, most imaginative, humorous" animal on earth.
The book is divided into three parts and eight chapters.
First part
In the first part ( the oppressed species ) the author expresses himself on problems of the human species and presents the worldview of evolutionary humanism as a solution.
The first chapter takes up life as a felt senselessness and absurdity. To this end, Schmidt-Salomon goes into the philosophers Schopenhauer , Nietzsche , Camus and Sartre . Chapter 2 conveys a basic biological image of man, at the same time a history of humanism, beginning in antiquity and ending with Julian Huxley . The third chapter describes the general change in science, various sub-areas of biology are addressed and the mind- matter relationship is discussed.
Second part
The second part ( The Underrated Species ) is devoted to traditional human issues, such as the meaning of life . Schmidt-Salomon also highlights the achievements that humans have made to cope with their problems, such as medicine, technology and art. At the same time, he draws a positive balance of human development on all levels (ethical, technological, artistic, etc.), especially in the last 50 years, and combines this balance with corresponding demands, for example certain basic rights for great apes .
third part
The third part ( hope man ) is finally devoted to the question of how humanity can survive in the long term.
The seventh chapter takes up the ten problems of mankind formulated in 1990 by the United Nations . Even if Schmidt-Salomon is of the opinion that the great problems of mankind (environmental destruction, unequal distribution of material values, autocratic systems, etc.) have only diminished slightly since 1990, he sees positive approaches to solutions.
The book ends with a "humanistic creed". Schmidt-Salomon writes in the notes that the “( Amen )” in brackets after the creed is not to be understood as a “dogmatic 'So it is!', But as a hopeful 'So may it be'”. Joachim Kahl , member of the Humanist Association of Germany , wrote: “[...] Of course, this Jewish, Christian and Muslim acclamation formula is put in brackets. It did not seem entirely at all to the author after friends who had read the text in advance advised against it. But the Amen is there, even if it is a bit ashamed: (Amen). Those who are sure-footed on the floor of a disenchanted world and who instinctively know the coordinates of a secular state of mind express themselves differently. An author who feels inwardly urged to make such a creed in public has not yet completely cut the umbilical cord to the religion of his origin. It does not help that he asserts at the same time - well postmodern and relativistic - that “of course” his credo does not claim “to be binding on anyone” (329/330). So why the effort of over three hundred pages to get it bold? The combination of rhetorically foamed confession and the simultaneous admission of its non-binding character is one of the characteristics of today's struggles for distinction in the religious and ideological bazaar. "
Reviews
- Markus C. Schulte von Drach wrote in the Süddeutsche Zeitung : “He [Schmidt-Salomon] explains in his book [...] why he believes in a peaceful future, in which clever and creative people also see the planet before it is destroyed will preserve. In view of historical experience, one is inclined to dismiss this as being thoroughly naive. Isn't human stupidity infinite, as Albert Einstein was sure? Is he not the wolf of man? What about ongoing environmental degradation or climate change? [...] Schmidt-Salomon need not come to such knowledge. He has dedicated his previous books to the stupidity and cruelty of man: After the provocative insult of our entire species as Homo demens (the crazy man) in 'No power to the stupid' he sings the song of praise by Homo sapiens (the wise man) all the louder. . [...] It remains to be seen whether he did himself a favor by writing two very different books that should only give a complete picture together. But maybe it was a clever move to surprise with a book in which he developed a humanistic version of the triad of faith, hope and love (Paul, 1 Corinthians). "
- In the humanistic magazine diesseits.de , Joachim Kahl was surprised and disappointed about hope Mensch : “With the perspective of a realm of humanity that should last for millions of years, Schmidt-Salomon surpasses the Christian message of salvation many times over. In the Apocalypse of John, the last book of the New Testament, a kingdom of only a thousand years is expected, in which the Messiah will establish his righteous rule and subdue the devil and Satan. Our author believes "in victory / the truth over lies () / and compassion over violence." (330) He thus maintains a teleological way of thinking that believes in progress. Mankind is stylized up to the collective messiah, called to save earthly life from the ecological crisis (308), to protect our planet from the impact of asteroids with nuclear missiles fired in time (312) and, if necessary, to manage the evacuation to other heavenly bodies ( 309). "
- Helmut Fink wrote for the Humanist Press Service : “This book strikes a new note. It does not polemicize, it reconciles. It doesn't provoke, it gives hope. It does not abuse other people's worldviews, but rather sharpens one's own. The writer hasn't lost his point of view, and he doesn't hug everyone. But his evaluations have become more balanced, the perspective broader, the claim deeper, in a word: a hint of wisdom can be felt. "
- Maren Emmerich concluded on the spectrum of science : “One or the other reader may provoke 'Hope Man' with his uncompromisingly optimistic attitude, especially since the author gives only a few concrete suggestions on how we can solve the problems of this world. But the book, which together with three previous titles results in a complete work, also reconciles. It invites you to look at the negative headlines that the media confront us with every day from a hopeful perspective. Their motto could be: We do not close our eyes to the challenges of this time, but we have mastered so many seemingly insoluble crises in the past that we can make it this time too. Anyone who is willing to accept this point of view can certainly gain a lot from the book. "
Web links
Footnotes
- ↑ Michael Schmidt-Salomon: Hope human. A better world is possible. , Piper Verlag, Munich 2014, p. 7
- ↑ a b Joachim Kahl: Between Reductionism and Hopes. Michael Schmidt-Salomon on the way to a new religion ?! His recently published book “Hope Man. A better world is possible "leads to an" alternative creed ", which culminates in the bombastic promise:" I believe in man / Who is the hope of the earth / Not in all eternity / But for millions of years. "Süddeutsche Zeitung, accessed on July 19, 2014 (German).
- ↑ Markus C. Schulte von Drach: The Song of Songs from Homo sapiens. Life seems short and unfair to us. Many are comforted by religion and belief in eternal life. But religion-free humanism also offers faith, hope, love, explains the philosopher Michael Schmidt-Salomon in his new book. Süddeutsche Zeitung, accessed on July 19, 2014 (German).
- ↑ Helmut Fink: “Your light, who can rob it?” (Hpd) This book was overdue: an easily readable, educational, basic work that unites different areas of knowledge with a positive message and a strong potential for enthusiasm for non-religious people. Humanistic press service, accessed on July 20, 2014 (German).
- ↑ Maren Emmerich: Good, better, human? Spectrum of Science , May 1, 2014, accessed on July 22, 2014 (German).