From Anticipatory Corpse to Posthuman God

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Philosophy of Medicine
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• The dominant social imaginary of contemporary medicine is critiqued for its totalizing scope and potentially insufficient remedies.
• This essay responds to critical engagements with "The Anticipatory Corpse," clarifying and extending the book's arguments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the ontotheological foundations of the current medical social imaginary.
• To explore how this imaginary is enacted through neoliberalism and interacts with other social imaginaries.
• To identify potential pathways for renewal and transformation through alternative practices.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical and critical analysis of the concept of the "social imaginary" in medicine.
• Examination of the relationship between ontology, ethics, and the political economy of neoliberalism.
• Conceptual framework for understanding the dynamics between dominant and alternative social imaginaries.

Main Results:

• The regnant social imaginary of medicine is grounded in a "power ontology" prioritizing utility maximization and a posthuman future.
• This ontotheology, originating in the "anticipatory corpse," is enacted via neoliberalism, which actively marginalizes or absorbs competing social imaginaries.
• Alternative social imaginaries, though often marginalized, hold potential for societal renewal and transformation.

Conclusions:

• The current medical social imaginary is deeply intertwined with a specific ontotheology and neoliberal political economy.
• Understanding and challenging these foundational powers is crucial for practitioners of alternative social imaginaries.
• Renewal and transformation are possible through strategic engagement with, or withdrawal from, the dominant imaginary.