The Future of Extinction: William S. Burroughs’ The Western Lands

Steen Ledet Christiansen

doi:10.3390/h9040142

The Future of Extinction: William S. Burroughs’ The Western Lands

Steen Ledet Christiansen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

52 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In this article, I draw on William S. Burroughs’ The Western Lands to think about what François Laruelle has termed a “generic humanity.” This generic humanity broadens and expands our ethical obligations towards those who have not yet been included in humanity. Burroughs’ emphasis in the novel on flattened time, magic, and death as transformation is used to show how we can make Mankind extinct from our way of thinking. Burroughs’ novel is thus an example of a “philo-fiction,” a work of literature that allows us to see the world differently.

Original language	English
Article number	142
Journal	Humanities
Volume	9
Issue number	4
Pages (from-to)	1-16
Number of pages	16
ISSN	2076-0787
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/h9040142
Publication status	Published - 8 Dec 2020

Keywords

Ecocriticism
Posthumanism
Non-philosophy
William S Burroughs
The Western Lands

Access to Document

10.3390/h9040142Licence: CC BY 4.0

The Future of ExtinctionFinal published version, 229 KBLicence: CC BY 4.0

AUB Link

Search for the material in Aalborg University Library's search engine

Cite this

@article{0defb30222b445138dcfc1cab9fd69bf,

title = "The Future of Extinction: William S. Burroughs{\textquoteright} The Western Lands",

abstract = "In this article, I draw on William S. Burroughs{\textquoteright} The Western Lands to think about what Fran{\c c}ois Laruelle has termed a “generic humanity.” This generic humanity broadens and expands our ethical obligations towards those who have not yet been included in humanity. Burroughs{\textquoteright} emphasis in the novel on flattened time, magic, and death as transformation is used to show how we can make Mankind extinct from our way of thinking. Burroughs{\textquoteright} novel is thus an example of a “philo-fiction,” a work of literature that allows us to see the world differently.",

keywords = "Ecocriticism, Posthumanism, Non-philosophy, William S Burroughs, The Western Lands",

author = "Christiansen, {Steen Ledet}",

year = "2020",

month = dec,

day = "8",

doi = "10.3390/h9040142",

language = "English",

volume = "9",

pages = "1--16",

journal = "Humanities",

issn = "2076-0787",

publisher = "MDPI AG",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Future of Extinction

T2 - William S. Burroughs’ The Western Lands

AU - Christiansen, Steen Ledet

PY - 2020/12/8

Y1 - 2020/12/8

N2 - In this article, I draw on William S. Burroughs’ The Western Lands to think about what François Laruelle has termed a “generic humanity.” This generic humanity broadens and expands our ethical obligations towards those who have not yet been included in humanity. Burroughs’ emphasis in the novel on flattened time, magic, and death as transformation is used to show how we can make Mankind extinct from our way of thinking. Burroughs’ novel is thus an example of a “philo-fiction,” a work of literature that allows us to see the world differently.

AB - In this article, I draw on William S. Burroughs’ The Western Lands to think about what François Laruelle has termed a “generic humanity.” This generic humanity broadens and expands our ethical obligations towards those who have not yet been included in humanity. Burroughs’ emphasis in the novel on flattened time, magic, and death as transformation is used to show how we can make Mankind extinct from our way of thinking. Burroughs’ novel is thus an example of a “philo-fiction,” a work of literature that allows us to see the world differently.

KW - Ecocriticism

KW - Posthumanism

KW - Non-philosophy

KW - William S Burroughs

KW - The Western Lands

U2 - 10.3390/h9040142

DO - 10.3390/h9040142

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2076-0787

VL - 9

SP - 1

EP - 16

JO - Humanities

JF - Humanities

IS - 4

M1 - 142

ER -

The Future of Extinction: William S. Burroughs’ The Western Lands

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

AUB Link

Fingerprint

Cite this