An Utterly Dark Spot: Gaze and Body in Early Modern Philosophy (The Body, In Theory: Histories of Cultural Materialism)

Two concepts of special interest to contemporary theorists—the gaze and the body—approached in a fresh and fascinating way | Slovenian philosopher Miran Bozovic's An Utterly Dark Spot examines the elusive status of the body in early modern European philosophy by examining its various encounters with the gaze. Its range is impressive, moving from the Greek philosophers and theorists of the body (Aristotle, Plato, Hippocratic medical writers) to early modern thinkers (Spinoza, Leibniz, Malebranche, Descartes, Bentham) to modern figures including Jon Elster, Lacan, Althusser, Alfred Hitchcock, Stephen J. Gould, and others. Bozovic provides startling glimpses into various foreign mentalities haunted by problems of divinity, immortality, creation, nature, and desire, provoking insights that invert familiar assumptions about the relationship between mind and body. The perspective is Lacanian, but Bozovic explores the idiosyncrasies of his material (e.g., the bodies of the Scythians, the transvestites transformed and disguised for the gaze of God; or Adam's body, which remained unseen as long as it was the only one in existence) with an attention to detail that is exceptional among Lacanian theorists. The approach makes for engaging reading, as Bozovic stages imagined encounters between leading thinkers, allowing them to converse about subjects that each explored, but in a different time and place. While its focus is on a particular problem in the history of philosophy, An Utterly Dark Spot will appeal to those interested in cultural studies, semiotics, theology, the history of religion, and political philosophy as well. Miran Bozovic is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. He is the author of Der grosse Andere: Gotteskonzepte in der Philosophie der Neuzeit (Vienna: Verlag Turia & Kant, 1993) and editor of The Panopticon Writings by Jeremy Bentham (London: Verso, 1995). Slovenian philosopher Miran Bozovic's __An Utterly Dark Spot__ examines the elusive status of the body in early modern European philosophy by examining its various encounters with the gaze. Its range is impressive, moving from the Greek philosophers and theorists of the body (Aristotle, Plato, Hippocratic medical writers) to early modern thinkers (Spinoza, Leibniz, Malebranche, Descartes, Bentham) to modern figures including Jon Elster, Lacan, Althusser, Alfred Hitchcock, Stephen J. Gould, and others. Bozovic provides startling glimpses into various foreign mentalities haunted by problems of divinity, immortality, creation, nature, and desire, provoking insights that invert familiar assumptions about the relationship between mind and body. Miran Bozovic is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. He is the author of __Der grosse Andere: Gotteskonzepte in der Philosophie der Neuzeit__ (Vienna: Verlag Turia & Kant, 1993) and editor of __The Panopticon Writings__ by Jeremy Bentham (London: Verso, 1995). "An Utterly Dark Spot examines the elusive status of the body in early modern European philosophy by examining the body's various encounters with the gaze. The range of this work is impressive, moving from the Greek philosophers and theorists of the body to early modern thinkers to modern figures such as Jon Elster, Lacan, Althusser, Alfred Hitchcock, Stephen J. Gould, and others. Miran Bozovic provides glimpses into various foreign mentalities haunted by problems of divinity, immortality, creation, nature, and desire, provoking insights that invert familiar assumptions about the relationship between mind and body."--BOOK JACKET. Contents 12 Introduction 14 1. The God of the Transvestites 16 2. A Brief History of Insects 28 3. Before the First Sight 38 4. The Rebellion of the Body 56 5. Occasionalism and Madness 82 6. An Utterly Dark Spot 108 Notes 134 Bibliography 148 The God Of The Transvestites -- A Brief History Of Insects -- Before The First Sight -- The Rebellion Of The Body -- Occasionalism And Madness -- An Utterly Dark Spot. Miran Božovič. Includes Bibliographical References.