Philosophy Seminars - 21st Century Philosophy Problems
"Crisis of Recognition: Pathologies of Emotional Capitalism"
Guest: Toros Güneş Esgün
Moderator: Emre Şan
What occurs to our social cohesion when liberty is limited to the pledge of self-actualization by the joy business and the consumerism of personal preferences? Eva Illouz describes the current era as "emotional capitalism", contending that the emergence of homo sentimentalis is also connected to a unique communal aloofness. If we examine Illouz's critique of the "new Machiavellian" shift, whereby therapeutic culture becomes independent from the public, shaped by new forms of communication and the growing sway of social media in our lives, considering Axel Honneth's Hegel-inspired "recognition theory", we find that emotional capitalism, the transformation of emotions into commodities, results in a "crisis of recognition" that perpetuates social pathologies. Recognition is paradoxically unattainable among individuals who persistently present their "genuine" selves. This seminar aims to explore the novel pathologies arising from emotional capitalism through the lens of critical theory, and to propose methods for overcoming the "crisis of recognition", which pervades contemporary society with its economic, social, and psychological ramifications, eroding solidarity.
Toros Güneş Esgün is an Associate Professor at Hacettepe University, Department of Philosophy. In 2010, he received his master's degree with his thesis on "Carl Schmitt and the Anthropological Foundations of Political Theories" and in 2016 he received his PhD degree with his thesis titled "From Authority to Autonomy: Law and Freedom" in 2016. During his doctoral studies, he was a visiting researcher at the University of Basel's project titled "Human Life/Autonomous Life" with a Swiss Government Scholarship in 2011. Esgün, whose main research interests are contemporary philosophy, critical theory, political philosophy and philosophy of art, is one of the founders and editorial board members of ViraVerita.
* The seminar will be held in Turkish. To attend this event, you can apply by using the "Register" button on the related seminar page and receive your event invitation via e-mail. Registrations will be available 1 week prior to the program date (18.04.2024, at 18:30) and the "Register" button will be activated then. Participation is limited to quota of 120 people.
* Participants who have completed the event registration and received their invitation are kindly requested to be at the venue at least 15 minutes before the event. The doors will be closed at the event starting time.