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"Poetry does not impose, it exposes itself," Paul Celan noted, a sentiment echoed in Werner Hamacher's exploration of key texts in philosophical and literary modernity. He rigorously examines the concept of "subject position," revealing that while it is an unavoidable promise, it remains unattainable, leading to increasing fundamentalisms and continuous potential for innovation and transformation. This work offers a profound analysis of the disruption in our understanding initiated by Kant's critique of human subjectivity. Hamacher identifies nine pivotal themes and texts of modernity, including the hermeneutic circle in Schleiermacher and Heidegger, the ethical structures in Kant, Nietzsche's exploration of moral terms and singularity, de Man's irony of reading, Schlegel's language paradox, Kleist's narrative disruption, and the naming gestures in Benjamin and Kafka. He also highlights the incisive caesura introduced by Celan within temporal and linguistic contexts. This book compellingly bridges critical philosophy and literature, making complex issues accessible and engaging.