American Possibilism and some its Theological Assumptions on Development

ANDRES DAPUEZ

Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies

Academic Society for the Research of Religions and Ideologies

Año: 2017 vol. 16 p. 3 - 19

1583-0039

 Depending on the dissemination of discursive forms through linguistic practicesas well as a particular change in our contemporary doxa, the development language ofcollective social improvement has been based upon a particular mode of ontologicalnaturalism. In a renewed version of the ontological mode that Descola termed?naturalism?, international development has set social expectations in terms of aprogressive future framed by violent ruptures, crises, perils and an actual threat of humanannihilation. This paper investigates how this developmental enterprise and the consequent ideology of ?developentalism? have further expanded a bi-polar ontology. Since its inception it articulates two radical sets of possibilities. One of infinite progress forhumankind and one of its total annihilation according to the well know metaphysics ofpossibilism. First, I will show how the institutionalization of development goes hand inhand with the emergence of the new form of naturalism which accentuates extremepossibilities as results of human action. My main claim here is that, after World War II,science and technology radicalized naturalism through the institutionalization of a newideology. By presupposing a new transformational capability of science and technology,developmentalism furthers the naturalistic ontology.