Responding to Loss: Heideggerian Reflections on Literature, Architecture, and Film (Perspectives in Continental Philosophy)

Much recent philosophical work proposes to illuminate dilemmas of human existence with reference to the arts and culture, often to the point of submitting particular works to preconceived formulations. In this examination of three texts that respond to loss, Robert Mugerauer responds with close, detailed readings that seek to clarify the particularity of the intense force such works bring forth. Mugerauer shows how, in the face of what is irrevocably taken away as well as of what continues to be given, the unavoidable task of interpretation is ours alone. Mugerauer examines works in three different forms that powerfully call on us to respond to loss: Cormac McCarthy's The Crossing, Daniel Libeskind's Jewish Museum Berlin, and Wim Wenders's film Wings of Desire. Explicating these difficult but rich works with reference to the thought of Martin Heidegger, Jean-Luc Marion, Hannah Arendt, and Emmanuel Levinas, the author helps us to experience the multiple and diverse ways in which all of us are opened to the saturated phenomena of loss, violence, witnessing, and responsibility. 'The Crossing' by Cormac McCarthy, the Jewish Museum Berlin by Daniel Libeskind, and 'Wings of Desire' by Wim Wenders call on us to face up to, then reflect upon the phenomena of loss, displacement, violence, witnessing, mortality, and responsibility. The way these saturated, overwhelming phenomena come to us requires close and patient focus if we are to adequately receive them in their particularity and depth Responding to Loss: Heideggerian Reflections on Literature, Architecture, and Film provides detailed explications of The Crossing by Cormack McCarthy, the Jewish Museum Berlin by Daniel Libeskind, and Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire. The interpretations-thinking via Heidegger, Marion, Arendt, and Levinas-call for an adequate response to loss, violence, witnessing. Responding to Loss 1 Heideggerian Reflections on Literature, Architecture, and Film 5 Contents 9 Illustrations 11 Preface 13 Acknowledgments 25 Responding to Loss 27 The Hermit’s and the Priest’s Injustices 29 Art, Architecture, Violence 75 When the Given Is Gone 137 Notes 169 Bibliography 189 Index 195 Perspectives in Continental Philosophy 201