The James K. Binder Lectureship in Literature is made possible by the late Mr. Binder's generous bequest and honors his wishes that we bring leading European intellectuals to UCSD to provide a forum for rigorous discussions of literary topics.

Please join us for a talk on Cosmic humility: the Anthropocene and the question of unpredictability with Professor Ali Benmakhlouf.

“Cosmic humility” is a concept based on the unpredictability of the evolution of living species and the need to break away from the model of total control over life. The evolution of living species is as important as their preservation.

Cosmic humility therefore consists of taking into account the element of structural ignorance linked to this unpredictability, and the multiple vulnerabilities facing humanity in the Anthropocene era, including the erosion of biodiversity and the erosion of local knowledge. This talk will attempt to think together these two types of erosion.

The unpredictability of the evolution of organism has consequences for global health, as illustrated by the fact that infectious diseases are no longer limited to specific areas of the globe or populations, and as evidenced by the latest COVID-19 pandemic.