Lyotard and the Inhuman Condition

Jean Francois Lyotard was one of the leading French philosophers of his generation. This book presents a series of studies which explain Lyotard's specific interventions in areas such as information theory, new media arts, and the changing nature of the human, and assesses their relevance and impact in relation to other positions.

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This book offers an incisive argument for the contemporary importance of Lyotard in light of posthuman trends. Jean Francois Lyotard was one of the leading French philosophers of his generation, whose wide ranging and highly original contributions to thought were overshadowed by his brief, unfortunate association with 'postmodernism.' This book demonstrates what a new generation of scholars are now discovering: that Lyotard's work is incisive and essential for current debates in the humanities, especially those concerning the 'posthuman'. Ashley Woodward presents a series of studies which explain Lyotard's specific interventions in areas such as information theory, new media arts, and the changing nature of the human, and assesses their relevance and impact in relation to other current positions. It brings to light a 'New Lyotard' by focussing on undiscovered themes and connections in his work. It shows Lyotard's relevance and importance for posthuman studies. It critically compares Lyotard's thought to contemporary philosophers and philosophies, such as Deleuze, Badiou, Stiegler, Meillassoux and the speculative realism movement.