This book discusses the influence of creative work on human life, and the role it has played in shaping human civilization since antiquity. To do so, it analyzes the history of thought on creative work from three civilizations: Greek, Indian, and Chinese, as well as contemporary neurological studies on consciousness. According to the classical Greeks, humans are instinctively predisposed to use creative work to gain truth, wisdom and happiness; the Indians consider that Dharma (duty, morality, etc.) can be achieved only through work (karma); and for the Chinese, creative work is needed to attain the supreme wisdom (Dao). Modern studies on consciousness show that our brain creates a personal self-model (ego tunnel) when we learn things creatively, and developing such skills provides lifelong protection for the brain.
In the 21st century, human involvement in creative work is declining as we use mechanized systems to gain more and more profit, but the wealth falls into the hands of the few superrich: the Plutonomy. As creative work is taken over by AI systems, human work is reduced to operating those machines, and this in turn leads to an exponential growth in the number of part-time workers (Precariat). The declining value of human life today is a consequence of this change in society. Further, reducing creative work means we have no way to distribute wealth, nor do we have any means to address problems like the lack of enthusiasm in the young; the health crisis due to lack of physical activity; or the environmental crisis due to the high demand for energy to run mechanized systems. This book explores these issues.
Author(s): Mathew Varghese
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 243
City: Cham
Preface
About This Book
Introduction
Creative Work—Hand-Brain Faculty and Plutonomy
Wealth Distribution Through Creative Work
Demotion of Creative Work in the Techno-Scientific World Order
The Fundamental Philosophical Perspectives on Creative Work
The Declining Value of Creative Work and Hand-Brain Faculty in Plutonomy
Human Life and Creative Work
Upsetting the Energy Balance of the Earth
Wisdom of the Great Wall
References
Contents
About the Author
Part IHistorical Thoughts on The Dynamics of Plutonomy
1 Precarity and Millennial Apathy
1.1 AI Systems Versus Hand-Brain Faculty
Reference
2 Creative Happiness Versus Power of Money
Reference
3 Technological Unemployment
4 The Millennial Precarity and the Herd of Precariat Workers
Reference
5 Joe’s Story: Precariat’s Life and the Alt-Reality World
6 Zero Citizens: Neither Citizens Nor Denizens
7 Life in the Comfort and Entertainment Zones
7.1 Classical Hedonism Versus Postmodern Comfort and Entertainment
Reference
8 Hillary’ Story: Plutocrat’s Life in the Alt Reality World
References
9 Plutonomy: The New Financialized World Order
9.1 The Plutonomy Charter
9.1.1 The Relevant Points
9.2 The New Dialectic of Plutonomy Versus Precarity
References
10 The Salient Features of Plutonomy
References
11 The Marxian Discourse on Capitalism: Bourgeoisie Versus Proletarian Narrative
References
12 Capitalism and the Religiosity of Protestantism
References
13 Creative Work Versus Artificial Intelligence
Reference
14 Tyranny of Plutonomy: How Capitalism Redefined
References
15 Advent of Plutonomy in Japan
Reference
16 How Plutonomy Thrive
16.1 Noriyasu’s Trauma: Life in Precarity
References
17 European Universalism: Exceptionalism and Racism in Plutonomy
References
18 The Era of Maniacal Depression and Suicides
19 The Emergence of a New Class System
Reference
20 The Plutonomic World Systems and Marxian Thoughts on Work
Reference
21 The Life of Carpenter Krishnan and “Creative Work”
22 God Versus Money
References
23 A Perspective from Classical Philosophy to the Millennial Apathy
References
Part IIRethinking on Human Life and Creative Work
24 Creative Work: Freedom and Happiness
Reference
25 “Deaths of Despair”: Being in the Time of Precarity
References
26 Creative Work: Some Thoughts from Contemporary Neuro-science
Reference
27 The Imprint of Femininity in Creative Work
27.1 Religion Versus Technoscience
References
28 The Neurology of Consciousness: The Ego Tunnel
References
29 Consciousness: The Lower and Higher Dimensional Realms
References
30 Plato’s Cavemen: Existence in Low Dimensional Realm of Consciousness Versus Freedom
References
31 Learning by Working: How Body-Hand-Brain Complex Evolves as a Faculty
References
32 Evolution of Work and Declining Creativity
33 The Philosophy of Karma—Exploring Wisdom in Creative Work
References
34 The Karma Theory and the 200 Million Years of Consciousness Evolution
References
35 Karma and Dharma as the Foundation of Indian Moral Philosophy
References
36 Pan Asian Caste System: Way, to Divide Wealth Through “Work”
References
37 Creative Satisfaction Versus Monetary Profit
Reference
38 Comfort and Entertainments Versus Creative Work
39 What AI Replaces from Our Lives
Reference
40 Group Work in Daoism: Enchanting the Higher Consciousness Realm
References
41 The Way of Samurai (Bushido) and Creative Happiness
42 Artificial Intelligence and the Making of Zombie Societies
Reference
