Present Hope: Philosophy, Architecture, Judaism (Pathology) - Softcover

Benjamin, Andrew

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415133866 ISBN 13: 9780415133869

Publisher: Routledge, 1997

Synopsis

Present Hope An exploration of how we think about the present, this text draws upon philosophy, architecture and poetry. It considers the roles played by themes that fragment and complicate the present. Loss, memory, tragedy, and hope are examined in a discussion of what is meant by the present.

About this title

Review:

"A meditation on the European philosophical tradtition after the Holocaust, the possibility of continuing that tradition, and resolving the melancholy that defines modern consciousness."
-Zachary J. Braiterman, Syracuse University "Religious Studies Review

Synopsis:

An exploration of how we may think philosophically about the present, this text draws upon philosophy, architecture and poetry. It argues that we must consider the crucial roles played by themes that fragment and complicate the present. Loss, memory, tragedy, hope and modernity are brought to bear in a discussion of what is meant by the present. The author develops a conception of the present through two pivotal motifs. The first is the work of Walter Benjamin. Benjamin's understanding of modernity is compared with that of Martin Heidegger, illustrating the differing ways in which the present has worked within philosophy. The second is the problem of hope. Rather than being an expression only of the future, hope is seen as a vital part of the present. Andrew Benjamin presents a philosophical explorations of this charged but overlooked theme. Underpinning these themes is the role of Judaism and philosophy. The text offers a new voice to philosophy after the Holocaust, showing how the Holocaust provides a crucial link between modernity and the present.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0415133866
• ISBN 13: 9780415133869
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 196