Uncertainty and Its Discontents: Worldviews in World Politics (Cambridge Studies in International Relations)

"This volume provides the first major study of worldviews in international relations. Worldviews are the unexamined, pre-theoretical foundations of the approaches with which we understand and navigate the world. Advances in twentieth century physics and cosmology and other intellectual developments questioning anthropocentrism have fostered the articulation of alternative worldviews that rival conventional Newtonian humanism and its assumption that the world is constituted by controllable risks. This matters for coming to terms with the uncertainties that are an indelible part of many spheres of life including public health, the environment, finance, security and politics - uncertainties that are concealed by the conventional presumption that the world is governed only by risk. The confluence of risk and uncertainty requires an awareness of alternative worldviews, alerts us to possible intersections between humanist Newtonianism and hyper-humanist Post-Newtonianism, and reminds us of the relevance of science, religion and moral values in world politics." Worldviews are the unexamined, pre-theoretical foundations of the approaches with which we understand and navigate the world, and this volume provides the first major study of worldviews in international relations. Advances in twentieth century physics and cosmology questioning anthropocentrism have fostered the articulation of alternative worldviews, rivalling conventional Newtonian humanism and its assumption that the world is constituted by controllable risks. This matters for accepting uncertainties that are an indelible part of many spheres of life including public health, the environment, finance, security and politics – uncertainties that are concealed by the conventional presumption that the world is governed only by risk. The confluence of risk and uncertainty requires an awareness of alternative worldviews, alerts us to possible intersections between humanist Newtonianism and hyper-humanist Post-Newtonianism, and reminds us of the relevance of science, religion and moral values in world politics. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core. 04.0_pp_iv_iv_Copyright_page 05.0_pp_v_vi_Contents 06.0_pp_vii_vii_Figures 07.0_pp_viii_viii_Contributors 08.0_pp_ix_xvi_Preface 09.0_pp_1_70_Worldviews_in_World_Politics 10.0_pp_71_176_Substantialism_and_Relationalism 10.1_pp_73_96_Political_Worldviews_in_International_Relations 10.2_pp_97_123_Relationality_Post-Newtonian_International_Relations_and_Worldviews 10.3_pp_124_145_The_President_as_Mascot 10.4_pp_146_176_Jewish_Questions_and_Jewish_Worldviews 11.0_pp_177_226_Accountable_Agents_and_Epistemic_Engines 11.1_pp_179_202_Weberian_and_Relationalist_Worldviews_What_Is_at_Stake 11.2_pp_203_226_Oceans_Jungles_and_Gardens 12.0_pp_227_276_Science_and_Religion 12.1_pp_229_254_Scientific_Worldviews_in_World_Politics 12.2_pp_255_276_Religious_Worldviews_in_Global_Politics 13.0_pp_277_352_Conclusion 13.1_pp_279_352_Of_Gardens_Forests_and_Parks 14.0_pp_353_364_Index 15.0_pp_365_376_Cambridge_Studies_in_International_Relations Considers the ways in which alternative worldviews, fostered by advances in twentieth century natural science and other intellectual developments questioning anthropocentrism, take full account of uncertainty in contrast to conventional Newtonian humanism and its presumption of controllable risk. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core. This volume considers the ways in which alternative worldviews, fostered by advances in twentieth century natural science and other intellectual developments questioning anthropocentrism take full account of uncertainty in contrast to conventional Newtonian humanism and its presumption of controllable risk.