The Promethean tale of the birth of technology has popularized the notion that what sets us apart from other primates is our virtually limitless capacity to develop new skills. Self-reflection enhances our sense of being decentered animals with no clear grounding in the natural world, yet it also fosters the idea of human perfectibility as an aspirational goal. From the Enlightenment (Rousseau, Kant) to recent avatars of existentialism, modern views of human beings as free agents engaged in an open-ended project have cultivated a moral perspective while relinquishing any stable view of “human nature.” On the other hand, an enduring metaphysical tradition from Plato to Bergson has emphasized the need to embrace our human singularity and aspiration to transcendence within a broader view of nature consistent with scientific thought. Both perspectives must nonetheless confront a perennial question that lies at the core of the human condition: are we equipped to face our inevitable mortality? November 14, 2024 From Biology to Culture: The Evolution of Goodness February 11, 2025 A Cognitive Revolution: From Language to AI April 10, 2025 The Perfectible Animal: Humanity as an Ideal Speakers Steve Paulson Journalist and Executive Producer, TTBOOK Elie During Professor of Philosophy, University of Paris, Nanterre Related Links Elie During at Université Paris Nanterre Elie During at The European Graduate School Publications by Elie During Details Thursday, April 10, 2025 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm The Morgan Library & Museum225 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 About This Series Becoming Human: An Elusive Pursuit features Wisconsin Public Radio’s Steve Paulson in conversation with three leading thinkers who share their unique insights into ttackle the timeless yet elusive question of what it means to effectively realize our humanity. Sponsors Events Becoming Human: An Elusive Pursuit The Perfectible Animal: Humanity as an Ideal Apr 10, 2025 01:23:25 2462 November 14, 2024 From Biology to Culture: The Evolution of Goodness February 11, 2025 A Cognitive Revolution: From Language to AI April 10, 2025 The Perfectible Animal: Humanity as an Ideal Highlights Debating the Nature of Time: Einstein vs Bergson Apr 10, 2025 03:55 3931 Bergson and a Unified Metaphysics Apr 10, 2025 03:55 503 What Defines Human Singularity? Apr 10, 2025 03:59 450 What Makes Glenn Gould So Special? Apr 10, 2025 03:15 396 Can AI Create the "Perfect" Moral Being? Apr 10, 2025 03:22 360 Framing the Ethical Project Apr 10, 2025 03:48 144 Video Title To Be Dynamically Inserted Here 05:48 1345 × More PREVIOUS EVENTTraditional Kurdish Music: Part I NEXT EVENTTraditional Kurdish Music: Part II