New Books in Science, Technology, and Society Santiago Zabala, "Signs from the Future: Philosophy of Warnings" (Columbia UP, 2025)
Sep 4, 2025
Santiago Zabala, an ICREA Research Professor of Philosophy at Pompeu Fabra University, discusses his new book, offering a fresh perspective on warnings as reflections of present crises. He tackles contemporary issues like climate change and AI's role in warfare, emphasizing that warnings prompt a shift in mindset rather than mere predictions. Zabala critiques communication strategies around activism, particularly highlighting Greta Thunberg’s emotional approach to climate awareness. He also examines the philosophy behind warnings and their significance in confronting political extremism and societal complacency.
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Limits Of Scientific Truth In Warnings
- Heidegger's critique shows science calculates but does not 'think' the limits and assumptions of its methods.
- Zabala says truth from science alone fails to produce the pressure needed to change collective behavior.
Beauvoir's 'Becoming A Woman' Reinterpreted
- The correct reading of Beauvoir keeps 'a woman' as an existential becoming, not a fixed social object.
- Zabala treats Beauvoir's phrase as a warning against reifying gender into immutable categories.
Gender Wars Protect A Fragile Status Quo
- Right-wing attacks on 'gender ideology' aim to fix gender to prevent broader hermeneutic questioning.
- Zabala links this strategy to neoliberal political scapegoating that deflects blame from economic systems.
