Mediating Black religious studies, spirituality studies, and liberation theology, Philip Butler explores what might happen if Black people in the United States merged technology and spirituality in their fight towards materializing liberating realities.The discussions shaping what it means for humans to exist with technology and as part of technology are already underway: transhumanism suggests that any use of technology to augment intellectual, psychological, or physical capability makes one transhuman. In an attempt to encourage Black people in the United States to become technological progenitors as a spiritual act, Butler asks whether anyone has ever been ‘just’ human? Butler then explores the implications of this question and its link to viewing the body as technology.Re-imagining incarnation as a relationship between vitality, biochemistry, and genetics, the book also takes a critical scientific approach to understanding the biological embodiment of Black spiritual practices. It shows how current and emerging technologies might align with the generative biological states of Black spiritualities in order to concretely disrupt and dismantle oppressive societal structures.
Philip Butler is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Loyola Marymount University, USA
List of AbbreviationsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction and Overview1. Thinking of Black Transhumanism: Non-Humanity, Moving Away From Transhumanism’s Roots 2. Foundations of a Black Transhumanism: Blackness as the Biotechnologically Mediated Experience of Black Vitality 3. The Neurophysiology of Spiritual Experience 4. Black Transhuman Liberation Theology 5. Black Transhumanism as Revolt Spirituality Glossary of TermsNotes References Index
I expect Butler’s work will inspire many important conversations … This work should be read widely. In addition to all practitioners and scholars of transhumanism, Black theology, and philosophy of religion, it will be of interest to many, including those in the fields of cognitive science of religion, critical theory and critical race theory, posthumanism, contemplative studies, new materialisms, and spirituality studies.
Toyin Falola, USA) Falola, Dr. Toyin (Professor; Jacob & Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities; University Distinguished Teaching Prof., University of Texas at Austin, Anthony B. Pinn
Darrell Jones, Monifa Love, Anthony B. Pinn, USA) Jones, Darrell (Columbia College, USA) Love, Monifa (Bowie State University, USA) Pinn, Anthony B. (Rice University
Ezra Chitando, Lovemore Togarasei, Joram Tarusarira, Zimbabwe) Chitando, Ezra (University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe) Togarasei, Lovemore (Zimbabwe Open University, the Netherlands) Tarusarira, Joram (University of Groningen, Anthony B. Pinn