Another Finitude : messianic vitalism and philosophy

Resource Information

The work Another Finitude : messianic vitalism and philosophy represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Bates College. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Another Finitude : messianic vitalism and philosophy

Title remainder

messianic vitalism and philosophy

Statement of responsibility

Agata Bielik-Robson

Creator

• Bielik-Robson, Agata,

Author

• Bielik-Robson, Agata,

Subject

• Jewish philosophers
• Jewish philosophers -- 20th century
• Judaism and philosophy
• Judaism and philosophy
• 1900-1999
• Love -- Philosophy
• Ontology
• Ontology
• Vitalism -- Philosophy
• Love -- Philosophy
• Finite, The -- Philosophy

Language

eng

Summary

"Beginning from the notion of finite life, Another Finitude takes this staple subject from post-Heideggerian philosophy and opposes it to the onto-theological concept of infinity, represented by an eternal absolute. Although critical of Heidegger and his definition of finitude as 'being-towards-death', this book does not revert to the ontological idea of infinity secured in the sacred image of immortality. But it also does not want to give up on infinity altogether; the infinite is transposed, so it can become a necessary moment of the finite life. A theological framework for the new elaboration of the concept of finitude is crucial; but instead of following the Lutheran formula, Agata Bielik-Robson turns to the sources of Judaism. Taking inspiration from the Jewish idea of torat hayim, the principle of finite life, which found the best expression in the biblical sentence: love strong as death; love emerges as the alternative marker of finitude, allowing to us redefine it in an affirmative way. By tracing the avatars of love in the group of 20th-century thinkers, or 'messianic vitalists'-Benjamin, Rosenzweig, Arendt, Derrida, and (deeply revised) Freud-the book attempts to demonstrate the possibility of such affirmation. Love becomes the new 'infinite-in-the-finite'; love in all its forms, from the original libidinal endowment of the human psyche to the last metamorphoses of agape, the Greco-Christian divine love."--Publisher's statement

Cataloging source

YDX

Index

index present

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography

Series statement

Political theologies