Giorgio Agamben stands as a leading voice in contemporary continental philosophy, renowned for his profound explorations of sovereignty, law, and the nature of human life. His work critically examines the intricate relationship between political power and existence, often drawing on historical and literary sources to illuminate enduring philosophical questions. Agamben's distinctive style blends rigorous theoretical analysis with a deep engagement with the implications of his thought for the modern world. His influential ideas continue to shape critical discourse across disciplines.
The book delves into the foundational dichotomies of Western philosophy, specifically the distinctions between essence and existence, and possibility and actuality. It posits that these separations have shaped the Western understanding of reality, enabling advancements in science and technology. By examining how these concepts have influenced human thought and action, the author argues that the ontological framework of the West underpins its historical power, highlighting the intricate relationship between philosophical thought and practical control over reality.
Through a unique approach, the book offers an autobiographical insight into the life of philosopher Giorgio Agamben, revealing his identity through the influences of notable figures like Martin Heidegger and Walter Benjamin. Instead of a traditional narrative, it intertwines images, photographs, and objects from his creative spaces, creating a self-portrait that reflects his encounters and passions. This blend of visual and textual elements forms a distinctive auto-heterography, showcasing how others have shaped his thought and writing.
What is at stake in that form of inquiry which the Western philosophical tradition has called first philosophy or metaphysics? Is this an abstract, now outmoded branch of philosophy, or does it address a problem that is still of great interest – namely, the unity of Western knowledge? In fact, metaphysics is ‘first’ only in relation to the other two sciences that Aristotle called theoretical: physics and mathematics. It is the strategic sense of this ‘primacy’ that needs to be examined because what is at issue here is nothing less than the relationship of domination or subservience, conflict or harmony, between philosophy and science. The hypothesis of this book is that philosophy’s attempt to use metaphysics as a way of securing its primacy among the sciences has resulted instead in its subservience: philosophy, once handmaiden to theology (ancilla theologiae), has now become more or less consciously handmaiden to the sciences (ancilla scientiarum). So it is all the more urgent to explore the nature and limits of this primacy and subservience, as this book does through an archaeological investigation of metaphysics. This important re-reading of the Western philosophical tradition by a leading thinker will be of interest to students and scholars in philosophy, critical theory and the humanities more generally, and to anyone interested in contemporary philosophy and European thought.
An engaging collection of late-life reflections and quick thoughts, a book unlike any other Agamben book. What can the senses of an attentive philosopher see, hear, and learn that can, in turn, teach us about living better lives? Perhaps it's less a matter of asking what and more a matter of asking how. These latest reflections from Italy's foremost philosopher form a sort of travelogue that chronicles Giorgio Agamben's profound interior journey. Here, with unprecedented immediacy, Agamben shares his final remarks, late-life observations, and reflections about his life that flashed before his eyes. What did he see in that brief flash? What did he stay faithful to? What remains of all those places, friends, and teachers?
Giorgio Agamben tackles our crisis-ridden world in a series of powerful philosophical essays. "Which house is burning?" asks Giorgio Agamben. "The country where you live, or Europe, or the whole world? Perhaps the houses, the cities have already burnt down--who knows how long ago?--in a single immense blaze that we pretended not to see." In this collection of four luminous, lyrical essays, Agamben brings his characteristic combination of philosophical acuity and poetic intensity to bear on a world in crisis. Whether surveying the burning house of our culture in the title essay, the architecture of pure exteriority in "Door and Threshold," the language of prophecy in "Lessons in the Darkness," or the word of the witness in "Testimony and Truth," Agamben's insights throw a revealing light on questions both timeless and topical. Written in dark times over the past year, and rich with the urgency of our moment, the essays in this volume also seek to show how what appears to be an impasse can, with care and attention, become the door leading to a way out.
A richly illustrated analysis from one of Europe's greatest living philosophers. In Pinocchio, Giorgio Agamben turns his keen philosopher's eye on the famous nineteenth-century novel by Carlo Collodi. To Agamben, Pinocchio's adventures are a kind of initiation into life itself. Like us, the mischievous puppet is caught between two worlds. He is faced with the alternatives of submitting to authority or of carrying on, stubbornly indulging his way of being. From Agamben's virtuoso interpretation of this classic story, we learn that we can harbor the mystery of existence only if we are not aware of it, only if we manage to cohabit with an area of non-knowledge, immemorial and very near. Richly illustrated with images from three early editions of Collodi's novel, this new volume will delight enthusiasts of both literature and philosophy.
Giorgio Agamben tackles our crisis-ridden world in a series of powerful philosophical essays. "Which house is burning?" asks Giorgio Agamben. "The country where you live, or Europe, or the whole world? Perhaps the houses, the cities have already burnt down--who knows how long ago?--in a single immense blaze that we pretended not to see." In this collection of four luminous, lyrical essays, Agamben brings his characteristic combination of philosophical acuity and poetic intensity to bear on a world in crisis. Whether surveying the burning house of our culture in the title essay, the architecture of pure exteriority in "Door and Threshold," the language of prophecy in "Lessons in the Darkness," or the word of the witness in "Testimony and Truth," Agamben's insights throw a revealing light on questions both timeless and topical. Written in dark times over the past year, and rich with the urgency of our moment, the essays in this volume also seek to show how what appears to be an impasse can, with care and attention, become the door leading to a way out.
"In Renaissance palaces, the studiolo was a small room to which the prince withdrew to meditate or read, surrounded by paintings he particularly loved. This book is a kind of studiolo for its author, Giorgio Agamben, as he turns his philosophical lens on the world of Western art. Studiolo is a fascinating take on a selection of artworks created over millennia; some are easily identifiable, others rarer. Though they were produced over an arc of time stretching from 5000 BCE to the present, only now have they achieved their true legibility. Agamben contends that we must understand that the images bequeathed by the past are really addressed to us, here and now; otherwise, our historical awareness is broken. Notwithstanding the attention to details and the critical precautions that characterize the author's method--they provoke us with a force, even a violence, that we cannot escape. When we understand why Dostoevsky feared losing his faith before Holbein's Body of the Dead Christ, when Chardin's Still Life with Hare is suddenly revealed to our gaze as a crucifixion or Twombly's sculpture shows that beauty must ultimately fall, the artwork is torn from its museological context and restored to its almost prehistoric emergence. These artworks are beautifully reproduced in color throughout Agamben's short but significant addition to his scholarly oeuvre in English translation."--dust jacket
The book features Giorgio Agamben's intense and personal reflections on the 2020 health emergency, examining its impact in Italy and globally. Through his philosophical lens, he critiques the societal and governmental responses to the crisis, offering profound insights into themes of freedom, authority, and human experience during unprecedented times.
