
The Power of the Metaphysical Artifact
Controversies on Philosophy, Politics, and Science in Nineteenth-Century France and Mexico
Obed Frausto(Author)
Lexington Books (Publisher)
Published on 15. February 2023
Book
Hardback
246 pages
978-1-7936-5443-4 (ISBN)
Description
In the nineteenth century, French and Mexican intellectuals had a common interest in providing a groundwork for educating better citizens in response to social crises. There were political and philosophical controversies regarding science and technology in this environment between spiritualists (humanists) and positivists (scientists).. Power and knowledge were intertwined in these controversies. Another objective of the book is to show that controversies can be seen as a dispute between two cultures between those in favor of science and technology and those in favor of philosophy and the humanities. Their continuous arguments articulated a third culture based on an intertwining of power and knowledge. This articulation had an implicit dimension in which philosophy, science, and technology had to interact to enrich the political potential of the human experience of thinking. They were able to grasp a mix or a synthesis that conceptualized the power of a metaphysical artifact in which philosophy, science, and technology belong to the same culture, where politics helps invite dialogue between different cultural, religious, and political perspectives.
Reviews / Votes
Obed Frausto excellently integrates in a coherent system of intelligibility, that of the artifact of metaphysics, different parameters such as socialization networks, systems of representation, motivations, intentionality and individual social actions, emerging in two very different contexts of power and knowledge organization. -- Andoni Ibarra, Editor of Theoria: An International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science The book is an amazing comparative research about controversies between postivist and humanist traditions in Mexico and France from an original and revealing perspective of the political philosphy of science. -- Ambrosio Velasco Gomez, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico In The Power of the Metaphysical Artifact, Obed Frausto insightfully traces the opposition between the positivism of Comte and the spiritualism of Cousin as these philosophies traveled from France to Mexico. Informed by sociological theory, Frausto shows how key philosophical movements of the nineteenth century took on opposed political values in Europe and the Americas. A significant contribution to global intellectual history, this book shows the value of the comparative study of the ideologies and institutions of industrialization and modernity. -- John Tresch, School of Advanced Study, University of LondonMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
555 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-7936-5443-4 (9781793654434)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Obed Frausto
The Power of the Metaphysical Artifact
Controversies on Philosophy, Politics, and Science in Nineteenth-Century France and Mexico
E-Book
02/2023
1st Edition
Lexington Books
€91.49
Available for download

Obed Frausto
The Power of the Metaphysical Artifact
Controversies on Philosophy, Politics, and Science in Nineteenth-Century France and Mexico
E-Book
02/2023
1st Edition
Bloomsbury eBooks US
€91.49
Available for download
Person
Obed Frausto is assistant professor of humanities at Ball State University, Indiana,
Content
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I: The French Political Philosophy of Science in the Late Nineteenth Century: Eclecticism, Positivism, and Political Romanticism
Chapter I. The Philosophical Eclecticism of Victor Cousin
Chapter II. The Engineers' Paradise: Saint-Simon, Auguste Comte, and Pierre Leroux
Chapter III. The Philosophical and Political Debates of the Spiritualists, the Scientists, and the Positivists
Part II: Philosophical-Political Debates in Mexico: Positivism and Spiritualism
Chapter IV. The Paradise of the Physicians: The Mexican Positivism of Gabino Barreda.
Chapter V. The Political Spiritualism of Jose Maria Vigil and the Political and Historical Debate with Sierra
Chapter VI. The Philosophical Debates over the Logic Textbook
Conclusion
Bibliography
About the Author
Introduction
Part I: The French Political Philosophy of Science in the Late Nineteenth Century: Eclecticism, Positivism, and Political Romanticism
Chapter I. The Philosophical Eclecticism of Victor Cousin
Chapter II. The Engineers' Paradise: Saint-Simon, Auguste Comte, and Pierre Leroux
Chapter III. The Philosophical and Political Debates of the Spiritualists, the Scientists, and the Positivists
Part II: Philosophical-Political Debates in Mexico: Positivism and Spiritualism
Chapter IV. The Paradise of the Physicians: The Mexican Positivism of Gabino Barreda.
Chapter V. The Political Spiritualism of Jose Maria Vigil and the Political and Historical Debate with Sierra
Chapter VI. The Philosophical Debates over the Logic Textbook
Conclusion
Bibliography
About the Author