The interdisciplinary mind

Ghalleb, Ines (2020): The interdisciplinary mind: modes of evolution in Richard Powers’ novels. Dissertation, LMU München: Faculty for Languages and Literatures

Abstract

This work focuses on four novels of the American author Richard Powers that explore the tangled relations between the scientific, technological, cognitive, and civilizational aspects of contemporary life. These novels—Galatea 2.2, Plowing the Dark, The Echo Maker, and Generosity: An Enhancement—reveal complex structural elements, highlighting interconnectedness between various interdisciplines. This study reveals how interdisciplinarity is necessary for the evolution of writing, while it identifies modes of artificial evolution in Powers’ novels. Three prominent types of artificial evolution are addressed: human genome engineering, brain malleability, and artificial intelligence. The book tackles civilizational dynamics in the light of clashes of groups with the same identity, as well as terrorism and wars. It examines artistic evolution through “iconoclash,” interweaving virtual environment CAVE-, architecture-, and scripture-like structures. By exploring these aspects, the novels’ interdisciplinary structures become visible. This book shows that the interdisciplinary novel is liquescent and multiplanar. Its narrative structures are imprinted with superimposed cross-cultural and interdisciplinary strata. These establish not only interconnections but also evolutionary exponential trends. The book includes a conversation with Richard Powers. Ines Ghalleb completed a doctorate in American Studies at the University of Munich, under a DAAD Graduate Scholarship and the GS L&L prgram during 2016-2020. She participated at the Futures Institute at Dartmouth College. She was a visiting researcher at UC Berkeley and a fellow of the American Council of Young Political Leaders. She is currentyl co-editing a volume on post-truth. Her research scope covers interdisciplinarity and cross-cultures in American Studies.

• Item Type: Theses (Dissertation, LMU Munich)
• Keywords: Richard Powers, interdisciplinary novel, artificial evolution, virtuality, cross-cultures
• Subjects: 800 Literature; 800 Literature > 810 American literature in English
• Faculties: Faculty for Languages and Literatures
• Language: English
• Date of oral examination: 3. November 2020
• 1. Referee: Benesch, Klaus
• Signature of the printed copy: 0001/UMC 28425

Footnote

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