Philophobia. From post-critical to neo-critical pedagogy through art critique (and a pinch of hate)

While post-critical pedagogy urges to educate out of and toward love for the world, in this article the author argues against the privileged status of love in educational discourse. The author holds that renewing the world is impossible without critique, indeed without a pinch of hatred. He suggests, therefore, moving from post to neo-critique, to renewing the world by renewing critique. The author starts with discussing some good reasons for hating the world, and then turn to the concept of critique, which post-critical pedagogy is by no means the first to attack. A look at the thorough analysis of the modern concept of critique offered by German historian Reinhart Koselleck uncovers the deep contradictions inherent to its totalizing, rationalistic presuppositions that see nothing but absolute good and absolute evil. Koselleck's comments on premodern critique point the way to a more complex concept of critique, which transcends such binary divisions. In the last section of this article, the author takes some steps in this direction, fleshing out the concept of neo-critical pedagogy by thinking of art criticism. (DIPF/Orig.)