Today we talk about Anglo-American Empiricism and the Abhorrence of Essence, a book by J. N. Markopoulos published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author J. N. Markopoulos to get to know him better, the moment that brought him to the writing of his book Anglo-American Empiricism and the Abhorrence of Essence, as well how he chose the title of his book.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- Is there a particular moment in your life that led you to the writing of your book? What was it?
The purpose of this book – which is the outcome of about three years of work based on more than almost fifty years teaching and research activity in the fields of natural and engineering sciences, education and philosophy, and particularly philosophy and ethics of science and technology – is to highlight and critically discuss the historically and philosophically grounded bonds between the Anglo-American worldview and one of its most significant, timeless features, that is, empiricism and, particularly, the ensuing abhorrence of essence. In this context, Anglo-American empiricism, with its anti-essential way of explaining, understanding and changing reality at all levels – and its characteristics of modern utilitarianism and pragmatism, that are basically interrelated with empiricism – has a determinative impact on today’s sociopolitical and economic issues, techno-scientific development, culture, education and the way of life. So, to answer your question, the particular moment was when I realized, surely besides its great contribution to technoscientific development, civilization and culture – and given our today’s critical global condition, with the multiple, complex and enormous problems that we globally have to face – the epistemological and practical limits of Anglo-American worldview and particularly its lack of a rational, essential and metaphysically loaded way of thinking, research method, and exploring, understanding and changing reality, that characterizes, on the other side, European philosophy and the so-called Western civilization already from its origins.
- What would you like to hear from your readers?
I would be very glad if my book could awaken readers interest in explaining and deeply understanding reality and today’s condition of the globe – particularly the uncontrolled, enormous techno scientific development with its pressing environmental issues, our confusion of means and ends, the supplanting of politics by economics and technocracy, the need for an essential education and an essential good life.
- Is there a book you are particularly attached to and that has taught you something?
There are, of course, many books I could refer. Please allow me to mention two: a) Kevin Robins and Frank Webster (1999), Times of the Technoculture: From the Information Society to the Virtual Life, London: Routledge, a member of the Taylor & Francis Group; b) Walker, Rebecca, L and Ivanhoe, Ph. J. [eds] (2007), Working Virtue. New-York: Oxford University Press.
- How did you choose the title of your book?
The title is basically the short presentation of the key-words of the book content.
- Are you working on a new writing project you can tell us about?
A new writing project I have in mind is a book with Essays on Human Condition; moreover, perhaps a translation of my latest collection of poems in English.
Europe Books thanks the author J. N. Markopoulos once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside him on the editorial path that led to the publication of his book Anglo-American Empiricism and the Abhorrence of Essence. We wish him the best of luck for his book and for his future works.
To you, my dear reader, may this book intrigue you and involve you thanks to the topics here described which are related to the current condition of the globe with its uncontrolled developments in several areas and sectors. It is necessary to intervene quickly and smartly in order to keep living peacefully, hopefully for a very long time.
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy this very interesting reading!
Your editor!