Luce Irigaray Book order

The first communication between human beings, the one between the newborn and the mother, happens through touch. And yet touching and being touched means experiencing ourselves as living beings.

Luce Irigaray reflects on three critical concerns of our time: the cultivation of energy in its many forms, the integration of Asian and Western traditions, and the reenvisioning of religious figures for the contemporary world. A philosopher as well as a psychoanalyst, Irigaray draws deeply on her personal experience in addressing these questions.

Whilst he broaches the theme of the difference between the sexes, Hegel does not go deep enough into the question of their mutual desire as a crucial stage in our becoming truly human. He ignores the dialectical process regarding sensitivity and sensuousness. And yet this is needed to make spiritual the relation between two human subjectivities differently determined by nature and to ensure the connection between body and spirit, nature and culture, private life and public life. This leads Hegel to fragment human subjectivity into yearnings for art, religion and philosophy thereby losing the unity attained through the cultivation of a longing for the absolute born of a desire for one another as different. Furthermore, our epoch of history is different from the Hegelian one and demands that we consider additional aspects of human subjectivity. This is essential if we are to overcome the nihilism inherent in our traditional metaphysics without falling into a worse nihilism due to a lack of rigorous thinking common today. The increasing power of technique and technologies as well as the task of building a world culture are two other challenges we face. Our sexuate belonging provides us with a universal living determination of our subjectivity – now a dual subjectivity - and also with a natural energy potential which allows us to use technical resources without becoming dependent on them.

In this book, Luce Irigaray - philosopher, linguist, psychologist and psychoanalyst - proposes nothing less than a new conception of being as well as a means to ensure its individual and relational development from birth. Unveiling the mystery of our origin is probably what most motivates our quests and plans. Now such a disclosure proves to be impossible. Indeed we were born of a union between two, and we are forever deprived of an origin of our own. Hence our ceaseless search for roots: in our genealogy, in the place where we were born, in our culture, religion or language. But a human being cannot develop starting from roots as a tree does, it must take on responsibility for its own being and existence without continuity with its origin and background. How can we succeed in doing that? First by cultivating our breathing, which is not only the means thanks to which we come into the world, but which also allows us to transcend mere survival towards a spiritual becoming. Taking on our sexuate belonging is the second element which makes us able to assume our natural existence. Indeed this determination at once brings us energy and provides us with a structure which contributes to our individuation and our relations with other living beings and the world. Our sexuation can also compensate for our absence of roots by compelling us to unite with the other sex so that we freely approach the copulative conjunction from which we were born; that is, the mystery of our origin. This does not occur through a mere sexual instinct or drive, but requires us to cultivate desire and love with respect for our mutual difference(s). In this way we become able to give rise to a new human being, not only at a natural but also at an ontological level

The book, first published in 1993, is part of the Routledge imprint of Taylor & Francis, focusing on a specific academic or professional topic. It offers in-depth insights and analysis relevant to its field, making it a valuable resource for scholars and practitioners alike. The publication reflects the standards and quality associated with Taylor & Francis, ensuring it is a credible and informative addition to existing literature.

A unique collaboration to map the ontology and epistemology of the human-plant relationship.

Focusing on the concept of sexuate difference, this book envisions a more just and ecologically aware world. It features original texts from Luce Irigaray's students and collaborators, alongside an introduction by Irigaray herself, offering diverse perspectives on creating a society that values and thrives on gender diversity. The work encourages readers to rethink societal structures and foster a deeper connection to ecological principles through the lens of gender.

Luce Irigaray untersucht die Rolle Marias in der christlichen Theologie und Kunst, wo sie oft abwesend, aber gleichzeitig allgegenwärtig ist. Sie interpretiert Marias Virginität als eine spirituelle Kraft, die es ihr ermöglicht, das Göttliche zu empfangen und zu gebären. Maria wird als weise und als Vermittlerin zwischen Traditionen dargestellt.

Die westliche Kultur und Philosophie präsentiert die Welt als einen Entwurf einer Totalität, der jedoch nicht die menschliche Erfahrung widerspiegelt, sondern lediglich einen Teil davon, geprägt durch einen männlichen Blick. Luce Irigarays zentraler Gedanke wird hier neu beleuchtet, indem er die Frage nach dem Anderen und der Möglichkeit echter Transzendenz in den Fokus rückt. Oft wird das Andere als individuelle Erscheinung betrachtet, ohne die spezifische Welt oder Kultur zu berücksichtigen, in der es sich zeigt. Dadurch bleibt das Andere den Werten unserer Kultur unterworfen, die uns in einer „Logik des Selben“ gefangen halten. In unserer multikulturellen Zeit wird jedoch deutlich, wie relativ diese Kultur ist und dass sie eine einseitige Entwicklung in Bezug auf unser menschliches Miteinander darstellt. Besonders wichtig ist die Erinnerung daran, dass das Andere in unserer Tradition vor allem die Frau ist, deren Welt sich aus dem Respekt vor dem Anderen, auch dem in ihr, entfaltet. Dieser Respekt ist der Ursprung wahrer Transzendenzerfahrung. Bisher äußerte sich das Bedürfnis nach Transzendenz oft in Besitzergreifung und Herrschaft, doch es könnte sich auch als menschliches Bedürfnis entwickeln, das eine Beziehung zum Anderen anerkennt und eine horizontale statt vertikale Transzendenz erfährt.