Agostino Cera is 45 years old and comes from Napoli (Italy). He has a PhD in philosophy from the University Federico II of Naples and currently is an Adjunct Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at the University of Basilicata (Italy) and an Adjunct Professor of Phenomenology of the Image at the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples. His areas of interest are: Continental philosophy between XIX and XX century (especially German philosophy: Löwith, Heidegger, Anders, Nietzsche); philosophy of technology; philosophical anthropology; philosophy of film.
What excites you about philosophy?
What I prefer (i.e. I find exciting) in philosophy is that it corresponds to a general attitude to the reality (or even a way of life), rather than an ensemble of skills, cognitions, and information.
What is your favorite thing that you’ve written?
I would say my book of 2013, titled “Tra differenza cosmologica e neoambientalità. Sulla possibilità di una antropologia filosofica oggi” [“Between Cosmological Difference and Neoenvironmentality On the Possibility of a Philosophical Anthropology today”], since it represents a summary of my work from 2007 and at the same time it lays the foundations for the further development of such a work. Last year I published a German translation of this book(titled “Der Mensch zwischen kosmologischer Differenz und Neo-Umweltlichkeit. Über die Möglichkeit einer philosophischen Anthropologie heute”), which represents its updated and extended version.
In its third part, this book presents the theoretical core of my work. It is the proposal of a “Philosophy of Technology in the Nominative Case” (TECNOM), namely a philosophical anthropology of technology grounded on the concept of “Neoenvironmentality”. TECNOM interprets technology as the current “subject of history”, namely as a Neo-environment where humanity has to live and whose anthropological/ethical main outcome is a “Feralization of Human Being”. You can find a presentation in English of this proposal in my following essays: “The Technocene or Technology as (Neo)environment” and “The Neoenvironmentality Paradigm. Elements of a Philosophical Anthropology of Technology”. You can read it in my academia.edu page.
What are you working on right now?
My work on philosophy of technology took me to “meet” the topic Anthropocene. So currently I am working on a moral paradox emerging in the Anthropocene, which Icalled “theParadox of the Omni-responsibility”. My idea is that Anthropocene – understood as worldview, rather than geological epoch – undermines the ethical paradigm, which has functioned as reference system for the ecological thought in the last decades: Hans Jonas’ imperative (principle) responsibility. I presented a first version of this argument at the last APA Eastern Division Meeting (you can read a summary of my presentation on the APA Blog.
At the same time I am working on a historization of the last decades in the philosophy of technology. In particular, I am trying to build a diachronic overview on the so-called “empirical turn” (namely, the American way to the philosophy of technology). This project has to do with the thorny issue of Heidegger’s legacy in this field of study. In my opinion, the empirical turn gradually transformed itself into an over-reaction against this legacy that is an attempt to entirely remove it. I presented a first version of this argument last June during a workshop at the Catholic University of Lille (France).
What common philosophical dilemma do you think has a clear answer?
I confess that in my opinion, only the unanswerable (i.e. insoluble) questions can be considered authentic philosophical dilemmas.
If you could be anyone else for a day, who would that be and why?
I would like to be Stanley Kubrick for a day, because I consider him not only an incredibly inspiring artist, but also one of the most significant thinkers of the 20thcentury.
What do you like to do outside work?
Cinema is my greatest passion (i.e. obsession).
What is your favorite book of all time? (Or top 3). Why? To whom would you recommend them?
I would say Aristotle’s “Metaphysics” and Martin Heidegger’s “Being and Time”, since they represent the beginning and the final act of Western metaphysics. Then I would recommend Alessandro Manzoni’s “I promessi sposi” (“The Betrohed”), but rigorously in Italian, since it contains the best prose you can read. I would recommend these books to everyone, or better I wish everyone would read them.
What is your favorite film of all time? (Or top 3). Why? To whom would you recommend them?
I would say Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” (a philosophical treatise in images and the proof that the real meaning of infinity is mystery), Michael Haneke’s “The Piano Teacher” (one of the best definitions of the tragic I have never heard/seen/read), Andrey Zvyagintsev’s “The Return” (about the abyss of the human soul and human feelings. A great example of filmic poetry). Also in this case, I wish everyone would share these experiences.
P.S. Also these two films: Godfrey Reggio’s “Koyaanisqatsi” and Alexandr Sokurov’s “Russian Ark”.
What books are currently on your ‘to read’ list?
Jack London’s “Martin Eden”; Michel Houellebecq’s “Serotonin”; Albert Borgmann’s “Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life: A Philosophical Inquiry”; Carl Mitcham’s “Thinking through Technology: The Path between Engineering and Philosophy”.
If you could have a one-hour conversation with any philosopher or historical figure from any time, who would you pick and what topic would you choose?
I would like to have a one-hour conversation with Gorgias, the sophist. I would try to demonstrate to him that the argument at the basis of his “Encomium of Helen” doesn’t work.
Who is your favorite philosopher and why?
I don’t have a favorite philosopher. Here I could mention Friedrich Nietzsche, not because I agree with his thesis, but rather because I began to understand something about philosophy by reading his books.
Who do you think is the most overrated / underrated philosopher?
I cannot say who is the underrated philosopher, but I can affirm that a very underrated philosopher is the philosopher I know better, since I am studying, translating, and writing about him for almost fifteen years: Karl Löwith. Not only his theoretical positions (namely, his phenomenology of human relations, his interpretation of the spirit of modernity from Hegel to Nietzsche, his “Auseinandersetzung” with Nietzsche and above all Heidegger…), but also his philosophical ethos (a fascinating combination of theoreinand skepsis) show unsurpassed value and actuality.
With regard to an overrated philosopher, I prefer not to say anything.
What’s your poison? (Favorite drink.)
Port wine.
This section of the APA Blog is designed to get to know our fellow philosophers a little better. We’re including profiles of APA members that spotlight what captures their interest not only inside the office, but also outside of it. We’d love for you to be a part of it, so please contact us via the interview nomination form here to nominate yourself or a friend.
Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall is an editor at the Blog of the APA who currently teaches philosophy, religion, and education courses solely online for Montclair State University, Three Rivers Community College, and St. John’s University.
