Examines JM Coetzee's writings about Elizabeth Costello, and the ways in which philosophers have responded to them. This book considers the relations among reason, language, and the imagination, as well as more specific ethical issues concerning the moral status of animals, the meaning of mortality, the nature of evil, and the demands of religion.
Rev. ed. of: Routledge philosophy guidebook to Heidegger and Being and time.
Inheritance and Originality is an innovative study of Wittgenstein, Heidegger, and Kierkegaard which argues that they find themselves unable simply to inherit the prevailing conventions definitive of philosophy. By placing these conventions in question, they reconceive the form of philosophical writing, and of philosophy itself, together with prevailing notions of language, scepticism, morality, and the self; and in so doing, they confront certain fundamentally theological preoccupations.
The book explores the relationship between modern philosophy and its historical context, focusing on the works of Wittgenstein, Heidegger, and Kierkegaard. It argues that these philosophers respond uniquely to the challenges posed by modernism regarding philosophy's past and future. Through in-depth analysis of their influential texts, the author, Stephen Mulhall, fosters a critical dialogue among these thinkers, aiming to reveal the potential for a new understanding of philosophy.
Wittgenstein and Heidegger on Seeing Aspects
Focusing on 'continuous aspect perception', this work explores a crucial yet overlooked area of Wittgenstein's philosophy, highlighting its relevance to contemporary philosophical debates. Professor Mulhall draws connections between Wittgenstein's ideas and Heidegger's "Being and Time," offering insights that bridge the gap between analytic and continental philosophy. This book serves as a vital resource for those seeking to understand these philosophical intersections and their implications.
Exploring the intersection of philosophy and theology, this work examines the perspectives of Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Wittgenstein on the concept of original sin. It questions whether these philosophers merely critique the idea of humanity's inherent flaws or inadvertently create secular interpretations of the same myth. Mulhall delves into their ethical and religious dimensions, revealing the complexities and implications of their thoughts in the post-Enlightenment context.
Can we talk meaningfully about God? Grammatical Thomism affirms that religious language is nonsensical, because the reality of God is beyond our capacity for expression. 'Nonsense' is standardly taken to be a term of criticism in Wittgenstein's work, but Mulhall argues that we can exploit an analogy with riddles to take a more positive view.
This study aims to show a kinship between the concerns of Heidegger and the later Wittgenstein. It strives to clarify the latter's concept of "continuous aspect perception", and to demonstrate its fundamental importance for contemporary philosophy of mind and language.
Although Heidegger's writings are not extensively concerned with the analysis of political concepts or with advocating particular arrangements of political institutions, his basic way of understanding the human relation to the world accords a constitutive significance to its social, cultural and historical dimensions. There is thus a political aspect to his thinking about every philosophical matter to which he turns his attention. This collection of essays is designed to identify, contextualize and critically evaluate the main phases of his intellectual development from that perspective.
Focusing on Wittgenstein's exploration of 'private language', this commentary delves into sections 243-315 of his Philosophical Investigations. It utilizes Stanley Cavell's interpretations to navigate interpretative disputes surrounding Wittgenstein's later philosophy while linking them to ongoing debates about his earlier work, the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. The analysis emphasizes the significance of Wittgenstein's philosophical method and the stylistic elements of his writing, highlighting their role in understanding complex concepts like grammar, nonsense, and imagination.