Philosophy, Writing, and the Character of Thought (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780226815855)

Lysaker examines the relationship between philosophical thought and the act of writing to explore how this dynamic shapes the field of philosophy.

Philosophy's relation to the act of writing is John T. Lysaker's main concern in Philosophy, Writing, and the Character of Thought. Whether in Plato, Montaigne, Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, or Derrida, philosophy has come in many forms, and those forms--the concrete shape philosophizing takes in writing--matter. Much more than mere adornment, the style in which a given philosopher writes is often of crucial importance to the point he or she is making, part and parcel of the philosophy itself.

Considering how writing influences philosophy, Lysaker explores genres like aphorism, dialogue, and essay, as well as logical-rhetorical operations like the example, irony, and quotation. At the same time, he shows us the effects of these rhetorical devices through his own literary experimentation. In dialogue with such authors as Benjamin, Cavell, Emerson, and Luk當s, he aims to revitalize philosophical writing, arguing that philosophy cannot fulfill its intellectual and cultural promise if it keeps to professional articles and academic prose. Instead, philosophy must embrace writing as an essential, creative activity, and deliberately reform how it approaches its subject matter, readership, and the evolving social practices of reading and reflection.

Author: John T. Lysaker
ISBN-10: 0226815854
ISBN-13: 9780226815855
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Language: English
Published: 09/20/2021
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.67lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.46d