1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910688410803321

Autore

Jones Ben <1985->

Titolo

Apocalypse without God : apocalyptic thought, ideal politics, and the limits of Utopian hope / / Ben Jones [[electronic resource]]

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cambridge University Press, 2022

Cambridge : , : Cambridge University Press, , 2022

ISBN

1-009-03699-8

1-009-03733-1

1-009-03703-X

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xiii, 225 pages) : digital, PDF file(s)

Collana

Social Sciences

Classificazione

POL010000

Disciplina

321/.07

Soggetti

End of the world

End of the world - Political aspects

Utopias

Secularization (Theology)

Political science - Philosophy

Philosophy and religion

Religion and politics

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 07 Apr 2022).

Nota di contenuto

The hazards of studying secular apocalyptic thought -- The paradox of secular apocalyptic thought -- Apocalyptic hope's appeal : Machiavelli and Savonarola -- Tempering apocalyptic ideals : Hobbes and pretenders to God's Kingdom -- Reimagining God's Kingdom : Engels and M�untzer -- Ideal theory as faith -- Limiting the dangers of Utopian hope.

Sommario/riassunto

Apocalypse, it seems, is everywhere. Preachers with vast followings proclaim the world's end. Apocalyptic fears grip even the nonreligious amid climate change, pandemics, and threats of nuclear war. As these ideas pervade popular discourse, grasping their logic remains elusive. Ben Jones argues that we can gain insight into apocalyptic thought through secular thinkers. He starts with a puzzle: Why would secular thinkers draw on Christian apocalyptic beliefs - often dismissed as



bizarre - to interpret politics? The apocalyptic tradition proves appealing in part because it theorizes a relation between crisis and utopia. Apocalyptic thought points to crisis as the vehicle to bring the previously impossible within reach, offering resources for navigating challenges in ideal theory, which involves imagining the best, most just society. By examining apocalyptic thought's appeal and risks, this study arrives at new insights on the limits of utopian hope. This title is available as open access on Cambridge Core.