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The Security Principle: From Serenity to Regulation
The genealogy of the idea of security from ancient Greece to the war on terrorism
In The Security Principle, French philosopher Frédéric Gros takes a historical approach to the concept of "security", looking at its evolution from the Stoics to the social network. With lucidity and rigour, Gros's approach is fourfold, looking at security as a mental state, as developed by the Greeks; as an objective situation and absence of all danger, as prevailed in the Middle Ages; as guaranteed by the nation state and its trio of judiciary, police and military; and finally "biosecurity", control, regulation and protection in the flux of contemporary society. In this deeply thought-provoking account, Gros's exploration of security shines a light both on its past meanings as well as its present uses, exposing the contemporary abuses of security and the pervasiveness of it in everyday life in the Global North.
In The Security Principle, French philosopher Frédéric Gros takes a historical approach to the concept of "security", looking at its evolution from the Stoics to the social network. With lucidity and rigour, Gros's approach is fourfold, looking at security as a mental state, as developed by the Greeks; as an objective situation and absence of all danger, as prevailed in the Middle Ages; as guaranteed by the nation state and its trio of judiciary, police and military; and finally "biosecurity", control, regulation and protection in the flux of contemporary society. In this deeply thought-provoking account, Gros's exploration of security shines a light both on its past meanings as well as its present uses, exposing the contemporary abuses of security and the pervasiveness of it in everyday life in the Global North.
209 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 6, 2019
6 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Frédéric Gros
57Ìýbooks125ÌýfollowersFrédéric Gros, né le 30 novembre 1965 à Saint-Cyr-l’École est un philosophe français, spécialiste de Michel Foucault. Il est professeur de pensée politique à l'Institut d'études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po)
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 9, 2020
This is a quick, easy yet insightful read on "security", what it means and more importantly, what it HAS meant. Divided into four epochs, The Security Principle traces the meaning of the term from the ancient Greeks, to Christian millenarianism, to the modern Westphalian state, to the modern globalised, neoliberal state.
At times I feel the books loses focus, and in particular it felt like the second epoch was stretching to link what it discussed with security. However this also means you will likely learn some unexpected things.
All in all, it acts as a good taste-testing book. You get a little Greek philosophy, a little theology, a little realism and political science, an introduction to Arendt and biopolitcs etc. Nothing too deep but enough leaving you wanting to look for more. A good read but also don't expect to be incredibly engrossed or having your life changed.
At times I feel the books loses focus, and in particular it felt like the second epoch was stretching to link what it discussed with security. However this also means you will likely learn some unexpected things.
All in all, it acts as a good taste-testing book. You get a little Greek philosophy, a little theology, a little realism and political science, an introduction to Arendt and biopolitcs etc. Nothing too deep but enough leaving you wanting to look for more. A good read but also don't expect to be incredibly engrossed or having your life changed.
January 18, 2025
He talks about the abuse of the concept of security in modern political discourse although the author is a "leftist" he still promotes Hannah Arendts view of Totalitarianism so minus two stars for that.
October 4, 2020
Gros separates security into divisions very similar to those used in a different mode by Philippe Ariès about death - but for Gros, security has its ancient, medieval, modern, and future-oriented phases. From the mental security of the wise to the biometrical security of the financialized world, he presents a readable if occasional dull treatise on the differences and similarities of the history of the concept. It's fine - short and mostly to the point - but I got the feeling that this was a kind of set of impoverished Agambenian sketches, or maybe better yet lecture notes. To be honest, there's not a lot to chew on here, but some interesting thoughts.
February 10, 2024
Bu tip kitaplarda en önemli sıkıntı çevirinin aksaması oluyor genelde. Ancak Gros’un kitabı gerçekten başarılı bir çeviriye sahip.
Gros’un kitabı dört ana bölümden oluşuyor. İlk olarak güvenlik kavramını, bir ruh hali olarak tanımlayarak bireysel boyutta ele alıyor. Burada elbette en büyük yardım Yunan filozoflarından geliyor, onların kavramla ilgili görüşleri, olgunun insanların ruhsal durumu üzerindeki etkileri anlatılıyor.
Ardından Hıristiyan inancının bin yıllık dönem ütopyası çerçevesinde ıslah olmuş insanlığa içkin bir mutluluk olarak güvenlik kavramı irdeleniyor. Kilisenin çok erken dönemde bu inanışı sapkınlık olarak yaftalamasına rağmen tüm ortaçağ boyunca siyasi, toplumsal ve dini hareketlerde bu ütopik bekleyişin izlerini görebiliyoruz.
Son bölüm biyogüvenliği ele almakta. Ancak benim bu yazıyı yazmama sebep olan asıl bölüm Gros’un güvenliğin garantörü olarak devleti anlattığı üçüncü bölüm. Zira hepimizin devletle yaptığı sözleşmenin ana maddesi "Güvenlik" kavramı.
Gros’un kitabı dört ana bölümden oluşuyor. İlk olarak güvenlik kavramını, bir ruh hali olarak tanımlayarak bireysel boyutta ele alıyor. Burada elbette en büyük yardım Yunan filozoflarından geliyor, onların kavramla ilgili görüşleri, olgunun insanların ruhsal durumu üzerindeki etkileri anlatılıyor.
Ardından Hıristiyan inancının bin yıllık dönem ütopyası çerçevesinde ıslah olmuş insanlığa içkin bir mutluluk olarak güvenlik kavramı irdeleniyor. Kilisenin çok erken dönemde bu inanışı sapkınlık olarak yaftalamasına rağmen tüm ortaçağ boyunca siyasi, toplumsal ve dini hareketlerde bu ütopik bekleyişin izlerini görebiliyoruz.
Son bölüm biyogüvenliği ele almakta. Ancak benim bu yazıyı yazmama sebep olan asıl bölüm Gros’un güvenliğin garantörü olarak devleti anlattığı üçüncü bölüm. Zira hepimizin devletle yaptığı sözleşmenin ana maddesi "Güvenlik" kavramı.
January 5, 2021
This book offers an extensive survey of the concept of security throughout western history, but it lacks in moral and political commitment. Its chapter on policing fails to offer any critique of today's troubles with the police. On the contrary, it even defends the police and the state of exception in the name of "security." For a philosopher who studied Foucault in depth, it's surprising that Gros talks like a standard Cold War American liberal.
January 11, 2024
Der Autor stellt vier Dimensionen des Begriffs Sicherheit vor.
Geht am Anfang super viel um die Bibel und [[Stoizismus|stoicism]]. Der Teil zu Stoizismus ist noch ganz interessant, der zur Bibel hat mich verloren, weshalb ich abgebrochen habe. Auch nicht schön geschrieben.
Geht am Anfang super viel um die Bibel und [[Stoizismus|stoicism]]. Der Teil zu Stoizismus ist noch ganz interessant, der zur Bibel hat mich verloren, weshalb ich abgebrochen habe. Auch nicht schön geschrieben.
May 27, 2023
Dull and plodding central chapters redeemed unexpectedly by a bracing conclusion.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
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