Philosophy, Sophistry, Antiphilosophy: Badiou's Dispute with Lyotard (Bloomsbury Studies in Continental Philosophy)

Alain Badiou's work in philosophy, though daunting, has gained a receptive and steadily growing Anglophone readership. What is not well known is the extent to which Badiou's positions, vis-à-vis ontology, ethics, politics and the very meaning of philosophy, were hammered out in dispute with the late Jean-François Lyotard. Matthew R. McLennan's Philosophy, Sophistry, Antiphilosophy is the first work to pose the question of the relation between Lyotard and Badiou, and in so doing constitutes a significant intervention in the field of contemporary European philosophy by revisiting one of its most influential and controversial forefathers. Badiou himself has underscored the importance of Lyotard for his own project; might the recent resurgence of interest in Lyotard be tied in some way to Badiou's comments? Or deeper still: might not Badiou's philosophical Platonism beg an encounter with philosophy's other, the figure of the sophist that Lyotard played so often and so ably? Posing pertinent questions and opening new discursive channels in the literature on these two major figures this book is of interest to those studying philosophy, rhetoric, literary theory, cultural and media studies. "Alain Badiou's work in philosophy, though daunting, has gained a receptive and steadily growing Anglophone readership. What is not well known is the extent to which Badiou's positions, vis- -vis ontology, ethics, politics and the very meaning of philosophy, were hammered out in dispute with the late Jean-Fran ois Lyotard. Matthew R. McLennan's Philosophy, Sophistry, Antiphilosophy is the first work to pose the question of the relation between Lyotard and Badiou, and in so doing constitutes a significant intervention in the field of contemporary European philosophy by revisiting one of its most influential and controversial forefathers. Badiou himself has underscored the importance of Lyotard for his own project; might the recent resurgence of interest in Lyotard be tied in some way to Badiou's comments? Or deeper still: might not Badiou's philosophical Platonism beg an encounter with philosophy's other, the figure of the sophist that Lyotard played so often and so ably? Posing pertinent questions and opening new discursive channels in the literature on these two major figures this book is of interest to those studying philosophy, rhetoric, literary theory, cultural and media studies."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Alain Badiou's work in philosophy, though daunting, has gained a receptive and steadily growing Anglophone readership. What is not well known is the extent to which Badiou's positions, vis-à-vis ontology, ethics, politics and the very meaning of philosophy, were hammered out in dispute with the late Jean-François Lyotard. Matthew R. McLennan's ‘Philosophy, Sophistry, Antiphilosophy’ is the first work to pose the question of the relation between Lyotard and Badiou, and in so doing constitutes a significant intervention in the field of contemporary European philosophy by revisiting one of its most influential and controversial forefathers. Badiou himself has underscored the importance of Lyotard for his own project; might the recent resurgence of interest in Lyotard be tied in some way to Badiou's comments? Or deeper still: might not Badiou's philosophical Platonism beg an encounter with philosophy's other, the figure of the sophist that Lyotard played so often and so ably? Posing pertinent questions and opening new discursive channels in the literature on these two major figures this book is of interest to those studying philosophy, literary theory, fine art, cultural and media studies Alain Badiou's work in philosophy, though daunting, has gained a receptive and steadily growing Anglophone readership. What is not well known is the extent to which Badiou's positions, vis-a-vis ontology, ethics, politics and the very meaning of philosophy, were hammered out in dispute with the late Jean-François Lyotard. Matthew R. McLennan's Philosophy, Sophistry, Antiphilosophy is the first work to pose the question of the relation between Lyotard and Badiou, and in so doing constitutes a significant intervention in the field of contemporary European philosophy by revisiting one of its most influential and controversial forefathers. Badiou himself has underscored the importance of Lyotard for his own project; might the recent resurgence of interest in Lyotard be tied in some way to Badiou's comments? Or deeper still: might not Badiou's philosophical Platonism beg an encounter with philosophy's other, the figure of the sophist that Lyotard played so often and so ably? Posing pertinent questions and opening new discursive channels in the literature on these two major figures this book is of interest to those studying philosophy, rhetoric, literary theory, cultural and media studies Contents 6 Acknowledgements 7 Introduction 8 Philosophy’s Present 8 Old Battle Lines Redrawn 11 A Note on Method and Sources 12 1. The Thinking of Being 16 Lyotard’s Thinking of Being 18 Badiou’s Thinking of Being 36 2. Philosophy in its Relation to Being 56 Lyotard’s Metaphilosophy 57 Badiou's Critique of The Differend 62 3. Demarcations: Philosophy, Sophistry, Antiphilosophy 74 Lyotard, Sophiste? 77 Badiou, Philosophe? 86 4. Ethics and Politics 102 Philosophy as Ethical and Political Vocation: Lyotard 105 Philosophy as Ethical and Political Vocation: Badiou 111 A Desire for the One 119 Conclusion 128 Notes 136 1. The Thinking of Being 136 2. Philosophy in its Relation to Being 139 3. Demarcations: Philosophy, Sophistry, Antiphilosophy 140 4. Ethics and Politics 142 Conclusion 143 Bibliography 144 Index 152 Introduction Philosophy’s present Old battle lines redrawn A note on method and sources 1 The Thinking of Being Lyotard’s thinking of being Badiou’s thinking of being 2 Philosophy in its Relation to Being Lyotard’s metaphilosophy Badiou’s critique of The Differend 3 Demarcations: Philosophy, Sophistry, Antiphilosophy Lyotard, sophiste? Badiou, philosophe? Lyotard, antiphilosphe? 4 Ethics and Politics Philosophy as ethical and political vocation: Lyotard Philosophy as ethical and political vocation: Badiou A desire for the One Conclusion By Matthew R. Mclennan. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.