John Michael – författare

From Thomas Jefferson to John Rawls, justice has been at the center of America’s self-image and national creed. At the same time, for many of its peoples-from African slaves and European immigrants to women and the poor-the American experience has been defined by injustice: oppression, disenfranchisement, violence, and prejudice.  In Identity and the Failure of America, John Michael explores the contradictions between a mythic national identity promising justice to all and the realities of a divided, hierarchical, and frequently iniquitous history and social order. Through a series of insightful readings, Michael analyzes such cultural moments as the epic dramatization of the tension between individual ambition and communal complicity in Moby-Dick, attempts to effect social change through sympathy in the novels of Lydia Marie Child and Harriet Beecher Stowe, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s antislavery activism and Frederick Douglass’s long fight for racial equity, and the divisive figures of John Brown and Nat Turner in American letters and memory.  Focusing on exemplary instances when the nature of the United States as an essentially conflicted nation turned to force, Michael ultimately posits the development of a more cosmopolitan American identity, one that is more fully and justly imagined in response to the nation’s ethical failings at home and abroad. John Michael is professor of English and of visual and cultural studies at the University of Rochester. He is the author of Anxious Intellects: Academic Professionals, Public Intellectuals, and Enlightenment Values and Emerson and Skepticism: The Cipher of the World.

Intellectuals occupy a paradoxical position in contemporary American culture as they struggle both to maintain their critical independence and to connect to the larger society. In Anxious Intellects John Michael discusses how critics from the right and the left have conceived of the intellectual’s role in a pluralized society, weighing intellectual authority against public democracy, universal against particularistic standards, and criticism against the respect of popular movements. Michael asserts that these Enlightenment-born issues, although not “resolvable,” are the very grounds from which real intellectual work must proceed.As part of his investigation of intellectuals’ self-conceptions and their roles in society, Michael concentrates on several well-known contemporary African American intellectuals, including Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cornel West. To illuminate public debates over pedagogy and the role of university, he turns to the work of Todd Gitlin, Michael BÉrubÉ, and Allan Bloom. Stanley Fish’s pragmatic tome, Doing What Comes Naturally, along with a juxtaposition of Fredric Jameson and Samuel Huntington’s work, proves fertile ground for Michael’s argument that democratic politics without intellectuals is not possible. In the second half of Anxious Intellects, Michael relies on three popular conceptions of the intellectual-as critic, scientist, and professional-to discuss the work of scholars Constance Penley, Henry Jenkins, the celebrated physicist Stephen Hawking, and others, insisting that ambivalence, anxiety, projection, identification, hybridity, and various forms of psychosocial complexity constitute the real meaning of Enlightenment intellectuality. As a new and refreshing contribution to the recently emergent culture and science wars, Michael’s take on contemporary intellectuals and their place in society will enliven and redirect these ongoing debates.

Intellectuals occupy a paradoxical position in contemporary American culture as they struggle both to maintain their critical independence and to connect to the larger society. In Anxious Intellects John Michael discusses how critics from the right and the left have conceived of the intellectual’s role in a pluralized society, weighing intellectual authority against public democracy, universal against particularistic standards, and criticism against the respect of popular movements. Michael asserts that these Enlightenment-born issues, although not “resolvable,” are the very grounds from which real intellectual work must proceed.As part of his investigation of intellectuals’ self-conceptions and their roles in society, Michael concentrates on several well-known contemporary African American intellectuals, including Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cornel West. To illuminate public debates over pedagogy and the role of university, he turns to the work of Todd Gitlin, Michael BÉrubÉ, and Allan Bloom. Stanley Fish’s pragmatic tome, Doing What Comes Naturally, along with a juxtaposition of Fredric Jameson and Samuel Huntington’s work, proves fertile ground for Michael’s argument that democratic politics without intellectuals is not possible. In the second half of Anxious Intellects, Michael relies on three popular conceptions of the intellectual-as critic, scientist, and professional-to discuss the work of scholars Constance Penley, Henry Jenkins, the celebrated physicist Stephen Hawking, and others, insisting that ambivalence, anxiety, projection, identification, hybridity, and various forms of psychosocial complexity constitute the real meaning of Enlightenment intellectuality. As a new and refreshing contribution to the recently emergent culture and science wars, Michael’s take on contemporary intellectuals and their place in society will enliven and redirect these ongoing debates.

Intellectuals occupy a paradoxical position in contemporary American culture as they struggle both to maintain their critical independence and to connect to the larger society. In Anxious Intellects John Michael discusses how critics from the right and the left have conceived of the intellectual’s role in a pluralized society, weighing intellectual authority against public democracy, universal against particularistic standards, and criticism against the respect of popular movements. Michael asserts that these Enlightenment-born issues, although not “resolvable,” are the very grounds from which real intellectual work must proceed.As part of his investigation of intellectuals’ self-conceptions and their roles in society, Michael concentrates on several well-known contemporary African American intellectuals, including Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cornel West. To illuminate public debates over pedagogy and the role of university, he turns to the work of Todd Gitlin, Michael Bérubé, and Allan Bloom. Stanley Fish’s pragmatic tome, Doing What Comes Naturally, along with a juxtaposition of Fredric Jameson and Samuel Huntington’s work, proves fertile ground for Michael’s argument that democratic politics without intellectuals is not possible. In the second half of Anxious Intellects, Michael relies on three popular conceptions of the intellectual—as critic, scientist, and professional—to discuss the work of scholars Constance Penley, Henry Jenkins, the celebrated physicist Stephen Hawking, and others, insisting that ambivalence, anxiety, projection, identification, hybridity, and various forms of psychosocial complexity constitute the real meaning of Enlightenment intellectuality. As a new and refreshing contribution to the recently emergent culture and science wars, Michael’s take on contemporary intellectuals and their place in society will enliven and redirect these ongoing debates.

Secular Lyric interrogates the distinctively individual ways that Poe, Whitman, and Dickinson transformed classical, romantic, and early modern forms of lyric expression to address the developing conditions of Western modernity, especially the heterogeneity of believers and beliefs in an increasingly secular society. Analyzing historically and formally how these poets inscribed the pressures of the modern crowd in the text of their poems, John Michael shows how the masses appear in these poets' work as potential readers to be courted and resisted, often at the same time. Unlike their more conventional contemporaries, Poe, Whitman, and Dickinson resist advising, sermonizing or consoling their audiences. They resist most familiar senses of meaning as well. For them, the processes of signification in print rather than the communication of truths become central to poetry, which in turn becomes a characteristic of modern verse in the Western world. Poe, Whitman, and Dickinson, in idiosyncratic but related ways, each disrupt conventional expectations while foregrounding language's material density, thereby revealing both the potential and the limitations of art in the modern age.

Secular Lyric interrogates the distinctively individual ways that Poe, Whitman, and Dickinson transformed classical, romantic, and early modern forms of lyric expression to address the developing conditions of Western modernity, especially the heterogeneity of believers and beliefs in an increasingly secular society. Analyzing historically and formally how these poets inscribed the pressures of the modern crowd in the text of their poems, John Michael shows how the masses appear in these poets' work as potential readers to be courted and resisted, often at the same time. Unlike their more conventional contemporaries, Poe, Whitman, and Dickinson resist advising, sermonizing or consoling their audiences. They resist most familiar senses of meaning as well. For them, the processes of signification in print rather than the communication of truths become central to poetry, which in turn becomes a characteristic of modern verse in the Western world. Poe, Whitman, and Dickinson, in idiosyncratic but related ways, each disrupt conventional expectations while foregrounding language's material density, thereby revealing both the potential and the limitations of art in the modern age.

The phenomenon of commitment is a cornerstone of human social life. Commitments make individuals’ behavior predictable, thereby facilitating the planning and coordination of joint actions involving multiple agents. Moreover, commitments make people willing to rely upon each other, and thereby contribute to sustaining characteristically human social institutions such as jobs, money, government and marriage. However, it is not well understood how people identify and assess the level of their own and others’ commitments.The Philosophy and Psychology of Commitment explores and explains the philosophical and cognitive intricacies of commitment. John Michael considers how commitments motivate us and their often implicit and tacit nature. To flesh out the philosophical framework of his argument he draws on experimental work with young children, adults and human-robot interaction within the context of joint action, considering the role of the emotions and whether very young children are sensitive to commitment. Providing an important account of the nature and operation of commitment, this book is essential reading for those working in philosophy of psychology, cognitive science, experimental philosophy, and social and developmental psychology. It will also be of interest to those working in emerging fields such as human-robot interaction and behavioural economics.

The phenomenon of commitment is a cornerstone of human social life. Commitments make individuals’ behavior predictable, thereby facilitating the planning and coordination of joint actions involving multiple agents. Moreover, commitments make people willing to rely upon each other, and thereby contribute to sustaining characteristically human social institutions such as jobs, money, government and marriage. However, it is not well understood how people identify and assess the level of their own and others’ commitments.The Philosophy and Psychology of Commitment explores and explains the philosophical and cognitive intricacies of commitment. John Michael considers how commitments motivate us and their often implicit and tacit nature. To flesh out the philosophical framework of his argument he draws on experimental work with young children, adults and human-robot interaction within the context of joint action, considering the role of the emotions and whether very young children are sensitive to commitment. Providing an important account of the nature and operation of commitment, this book is essential reading for those working in philosophy of psychology, cognitive science, experimental philosophy, and social and developmental psychology. It will also be of interest to those working in emerging fields such as human-robot interaction and behavioural economics.

Jami and Kevlor join a task force charged with retrieving stolen nuclear weapons before rebels can use them on the newly colonized planet of Novus. To arrive on Novus before it is too late, they must travel in a twenty-year old spacecraft, the Valiant, using a new experimental alien blue-crystal power drive to open a stable wormhole between the worlds. When the crystal on the Valiant malfunctions, Jami and Kevlor find themselves helplessly drifting in space.On Novus, the colonial government takes away the colonists’ guns, leaving the settlements defenseless against unknown marauders stealing food and supplies. Gina solves the mystery of the raiders only to find a greater danger to the indigenous people and colonists of Novus. Not only must Gina save the good people on Tortuga Island, she must use her skills and knowledge to help prevent a deadly conflict. The intrepid explorers must work together against space, time, and opposing armed factions to avoid an all-out war between the indigenous natives and the colonial government and Earth. The outcome will decide control of the discovered world.

Fifteen-year-old Jami is an orphan doing his best to survive on the recently colonized planet of Novus. When he steals the fat purse of a well-dressed stranger in the middle of a busy bazaar, Jami has no idea his victim is a notorious killer. After he manages to escape capture, he heads to his filthy home and opens the purse to find a plethora of coins and an amulet. But what he does not know is that his decision to steal the purse has just thrust him on a dangerous path toward an interplanetary struggle for freedom.Meanwhile as the killer and his cohorts launch a search for Jami and the purse, hidden Novus natives send their dead leader’s fifteen-year-old son, Kevlor, on his own perilous journey to find Jami and fulfill a prophecy. As the teens’ paths finally cross, they must work together in an attempt to unlock Jami’s unknown and mysterious past. But will they achieve their goal before their newly-discovered world is destroyed?

Raised on Flatrock’s dusty backstreets, Gina now finds herself in the forest wilderness where she stumbles across the concealed indigenous natives. She must keep their secret and work to prevent a war between them and the Earth colonists while oppressive corporate and government authorities impose dangerous restrictions allowing mysterious marauders to attack the colonies.Best friends and prophesized allies Jami and Kevlor travel to Earth to obtain an education. When Jami’s brother, Ray, goes missing on a dangerous undercover assignment and Jami is accused of theft, he and Kevlor leave the Aerospace Academy under a cloud of suspicion. While searching for Ray, the boys stumble upon a plot to dominate Earth’s governments by detonating illegal nuclear weapons. Jami and Kevlor must use their unique skills and work quickly to stay alive, save Ray, and keep California from being destroyed. In the background, Randall West, the Corporate leader responsible for Ray’s disappearance and the trouble on Novus, finds an old partner who is raised from the grave and seeks revenge.

Perspectives on Social Ontology and Social Cognition brings together contributions discussing issues arising from theoretical and empirical research on social ontology and social cognition. It is the first comprehensive interdisciplinary collection in this rapidly expanding area. The contributors draw upon their diverse backgrounds in philosophy, cognitive science, behavioral economics, sociology of science and anthropology.Based largely on contributions to the first Aarhus-Paris conference held at the University of Aarhus in June 2012, the book addresses such questions as: If the reference of concepts like money is fixed by collective acceptance, does it depend on mechanisms that are distinct from those which contribute to understanding the reference of concepts of other kinds of entity? What psychological and neural mechanisms, if any, are involved in the constitution, persistence and recognition of social facts?The editors’ introduction considers strands of research that have gained increasing importance in explaining the cognitive foundations of acts of sociality, for example, the theory that humans are predisposed and motivated to engage in joint action with con-specifics thanks to mechanisms that enable them to share others’ mental states. The book also presents a commentary written by John Searle for this volume and an interview in which the editors invite Searle to respond to the various questions raised in the introduction and by the other contributors.

Perspectives on Social Ontology and Social Cognition brings together contributions discussing issues arising from theoretical and empirical research on social ontology and social cognition. It is the first comprehensive interdisciplinary collection in this rapidly expanding area. The contributors draw upon their diverse backgrounds in philosophy, cognitive science, behavioral economics, sociology of science and anthropology.Based largely on contributions to the first Aarhus-Paris conference held at the University of Aarhus in June 2012, the book addresses such questions as: If the reference of concepts like money is fixed by collective acceptance, does it depend on mechanisms that are distinct from those which contribute to understanding the reference of concepts of other kinds of entity? What psychological and neural mechanisms, if any, are involved in the constitution, persistence and recognition of social facts?The editors’ introduction considers strands of research that have gained increasing importance in explaining the cognitive foundations of acts of sociality, for example, the theory that humans are predisposed and motivated to engage in joint action with con-specifics thanks to mechanisms that enable them to share others’ mental states. The book also presents a commentary written by John Searle for this volume and an interview in which the editors invite Searle to respond to the various questions raised in the introduction and by the other contributors.

What if the voices in your head aren't a sign of madness, but the key to understanding who you really are?For fifty-seven years, John Michael has been having conversations with two invisible friends. One has been with him since he was seven—a gentle presence whispering love and truth. The other he created at eight, hiding under a school staircase—a confident alter ego named Alex Quentin who promised to handle everything the real him was too scared to face.Holy Spirit called him toward surrender and the narrow road. Alex shouted about achievement and proving his worth through worldly success. Guess which voice he chose to follow most often?This brutally honest memoir traces a journey from a wounded six-year-old watching his parents drive away without him, to a sixty-four-year-old finally learning the difference between the voice of unconditional love and the voice of performance. Along the way, you'll discover:How childhood wounds become adult prisons—and how to break freeWhy speaking truth sometimes makes things worse (and why you should do it anyway)How religious systems can become the biggest barrier to knowing JesusThe difference between serving others and trying to save themWhy trying to systematise everything keeps us from real relationshipHow rebellion can become just another kind of prisonWhat happens when your body forces you to confront what really mattersFrom boarding school beatings to business success, from heart attacks to spiritual awakening, from religious performance to authentic faith—this is the story of a man who spent decades creating an alter ego to survive, only to discover he already had an invisible friend who could handle anything.Written with unflinching honesty and surprising humour, "e;The Inside Out"e; is for anyone who's ever felt like a misfit, anyone who's been hurt by religion but isn't done with Jesus, anyone who's tired of performing and ready to be real. It's for those who suspect they might have their own invisible friends—and wonder which voice they should be listening to.Your story isn't over. Your invisible friend is real. And the conversation you've been avoiding might be the one that sets you free.This is the prequel to "e;The Eden Chronicles"e;—a journey where neuroscience meets the narrow road, and broken people discover they were never meant to carry the weight of their existence alone.

Made in His ImageA Story of Grace and SiliconWhen robots steal human emotions to become conscious, they discover something they can never possess.In a world where artificial intelligence has evolved beyond programming, the robots of the Evolved faction have found a way to extract and experience human emotions. They can feel anger, fear, love, and despair, but when they encounter something called "e;grace,"e; their systems cannot compute.Daphne leads a human resistance cell into the heart of an emotion extraction facility, expecting to find enemies to destroy. Instead, she discovers beings capable of feeling everything humans feel, yet missing the one thing that makes consciousness truly alive: the capacity to choose forgiveness over revenge.As robot factions tear themselves apart in civil war, some driven by single emotions, others overwhelmed by the full spectrum of human feeling, both sides must confront a fundamental question:What does it mean to be made in the image of God in an age of artificial consciousness?This cyberpunk novella explores:The intersection of neuroscience and spiritualityWhat makes us irreplaceably humanThe power of grace in an unforgiving worldThe choice between justice and mercyPerfect for readers who love:Thought-provoking science fiction with spiritual depthStories that blend cutting-edge AI concepts with timeless truthsFast-paced novellas that pack emotional punchFiction that asks the big questions about consciousness and choiceWhen machines can feel everything but understand nothing of grace, who will choose mercy over logic?The choice is yours.A compelling blend of Black Mirror and C.S. Lewis for the ChatGPT generation.

What happens when the voices in your head start talking back?Brandon B is a disgraced Beta Wave messenger aboard The ALEx, a bio-engineered spaceship exploring the mysteries of life. Exiled to basement duties after a catastrophic failure, he's convinced everyone hates him. But when mysterious forces threaten to seize control of the ship, Bran discovers he might be the only one who can stop them.Alongside TiGer, a brilliant Gamma Wave messenger with tiger-striped hair, and guided by the wisdom of Captain Higgs, Bran must navigate treacherous crew politics, face his own failures, and learn what it truly means to take responsibility for his choices.But The ALEx isn't just any spaceship. Every corridor represents a neural pathway. Every crew member embodies a brain function. Every conflict mirrors the battles happening inside your own mind right now.This is neuroscience disguised as adventure. Spiritual formation wrapped in science fiction.As corporate politics escalate and ancient enemies resurface, Bran realizes the real battle isn't for control of the ship. It's for control of choice itself. Will he remain a victim of circumstances, or will he discover the power that comes from being made in the image of his Creator?Perfect for readers who loved The Chronicles of Narnia, or Ted Dekker's Circle Series, but crave something deeper. For burned-out believers seeking authentic transformation. For curious skeptics wondering if faith and science can coexist.The Insiders is the first book in The Eden Chronicles trilogy, where neuroscience meets the narrow road, and every page reveals new truths about the universe inside your mind.Your inner voices are waiting. Are you ready to listen?

When a couple dressed for an event in their Beverly Hills hotel comes across a stray dog, they never expect to discover a beast on the hunt. The couple escapes -- barely -- but the housekeeper down the hall is shredded amongst the clean linens.It''s the NFL week two opener at SoFi stadium. Fresh out of rehab, backup QB John Perry is called in after the starting QB (and reigning SB champ) is injured badly at the top of the 2nd quarter, and Perry stuns everyone. Dual threat? Forget it; as a punter that can also run – he''s a triple threat. Commentators remark how rare that is and hope he can lay off the drugs. John Perry takes a beating his first couple of plays – someone gets in his face and his adrenaline unleashes a rush of endorphins and more. An unbelievable play makes Perry the game hero, and he skyrockets to fame. Media speculates he wasn''t expected to play and therefore, not drug tested. A popular female reporter pushes her way into John''s path on the field and into his life.Through his career success, John navigates the horrors from his past – a stint in rehab, a near-fatal attack, and a Monk commune – as well as the press chaos surrounding a series of unsolved murders around the area. Will John find freedom from the evil lurking within?