Book Review Ferrando, F. (2023). The Art of Being Posthuman: Who are we in the 21st century?

Abstract

Francesca Ferrando’s book is a guide to self-discovery and self-inquiry, aimed at gaining more knowledge about the self and developing awareness of a new philosophical framework called Philosophical Posthumanism. This framework involves three non-hierarchical premises: 1) humans are not superior, 2) humans are part of the planet along with other species (non-human, vegetal, and technological), thus acknowledging that our planet is not centred around humans, and 3) the elimination of dichotomies (such as human-animal). The concept of the Posthuman signifies a shift that has been taking place, and to fully embrace it, traditional ideas need to be abandoned in favour of new posthumanist ones. This book is a contemporary contribution, and its chapters can be read in any order by anyone interested in expanding their knowledge. Those unfamiliar with the topic will benefit from reading it, as the author explains the main points in clear and accessible language, which is one of the key strengths of Ferrando’s book.