Focusing on Jacques Derrida's 1994-5 essay "Faith and Knowledge," this book explores his insights into the evolving nature of religion in contemporary society, particularly as influenced by science and media. It offers a detailed analysis of Derrida's thought, highlighting the intersection of faith and knowledge and how these concepts are reshaped in modern contexts. Through this lens, readers gain a deeper understanding of Derrida's philosophical contributions and their relevance to current discussions on religion.
Focusing on Jacques Derrida's last seminar, "The Beast and the Sovereign," this book explores profound themes such as sovereignty and the nature of the animal, while also delving into concepts of death, mourning, and survival. It examines how these discussions intertwine with the notion of the end of the world, offering a rich philosophical inquiry that reflects on both personal and collective experiences. Through this lens, the work provides insightful commentary on the complexities of existence and the human condition.
Written in the wake of Jacques Derrida's death in 2004, this title attempts
both to do justice to the memory of Derrida and to demonstrate the
significance of his work for contemporary philosophy and literary theory. It
provides an analysis of Derrida's attachment to the French language, to
Europe, and to European secular thought.
Focusing on Jacques Derrida's public lectures and teaching, this book explores the often-overlooked dimensions of his philosophical work. It delves into the concept of the speech act, examining the implications of public speaking and its significance in the context of Derrida's thought. By analyzing these aspects, the text sheds light on the relationship between language, performance, and the act of communication in philosophical discourse.
Apocalyptic Ruin and Everyday Wonder in Don DeLillo's America is a fresh and engaging study of the "last things" in Don DeLillo's works-death, mourning, the last judgment of heaven and hell, the decline of the American empire, but also the apocalypse and the end of the world more generally. It is also about all the things that double or shadow those last things in the very same works, like the wonder of language or the radiance of everyday events. From Americana (1971) and End Zone (1972) up through Zero K (2016) and The Silence (2020), Don DeLillo has created meaning by contrasting, juxtaposing, or, as Naas calls it here, "contrabanding" first and last things, conflicting or opposing forces such as life and death, creation and destruction, consumption and waste, everyday wonder and apocalyptic ruin, the origins of language and the end of the world. Michael Naas untangles complex themes in short, witty chapters that highlight and celebrate DeLillo's inventive and playful writing, employing a novel approach to literary criticism. Making no use of secondary sources, the book is entirely a discussion of DeLillo's work, accessible to any level of readership. In his adept demonstration of how DeLillo has returned repeatedly to these "last things," Naas shows how the works of Don DeLillo have been there for over a half a century now to remind us of this one simple yet profound truth: nothing lasts forever.
Beginning with a reading of Plato's Statesman, this work interrogates the
relationship between life and being in Plato's thought. It argues that in his
later dialogues Plato discovers--or invents--a form of true or real life that
transcends all merely biological life and everything that is commonly called
life.
