RISING FROM THE RUINS: "Reason, Being, and the Good"; after Auschwitz

Rising from the Ruins is an assessment of reason, being, and the good in a world fractured by the passage of the Shoah, or Holocaust. The historical character of evil that appeared in the Shoah damaged the relationship of human existence to being, creating a time when the confidence of reason to possess the truth no longer exists. Rising from the Ruins relocates the relationships among being, reason, and the good in terms of a metaphysics, ethics, and politics that derive from faith and heteronomy. Rather than another attempt to document the horror of the Shoah, this book chronicles what the world is like for those who have read and listened to previous accounts. Rising from the Ruins doesn t celebrate surviving the Holocaust; instead, it speaks of a rationality that sees truth and the good through the eyes of suffering and the silence of death. Such a rationality, Gillan suggests, looks more like faith, and it takes its place among the sweat and tears of common men and women who are dedicated to building a human city, populated with children, the poor, the sick, and the aged." Front Matter 1 Half Title Page 3 Title Page 5 Copyright Page 6 Dedication Page 7 Table of Contents 9 Preface 11 INTRODUCTION 15 Content 39 LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE 39 DEATH AND ONTOLOGY 63 THE POLITICS OF RUPTURE 79 THE ETHICS OF HETERONOMY 101 THE REDEMPTION OF REASON 123 Back Matter 141 POSTSCRIPT 141 notes 143 index 149 Back Cover 156 Published by State University of New York Press,Albany ©1998 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic,electrostatic,magnetic tape,mechanical,photocopying,recording,or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information,address State University of New York Press,State University Plaza,Albany,NY 12246 Production by Diane Ganeles Marketing by Fran Keneston Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gillan,Garth,1939- Rising from the ruins : reason,being,and the good after Auschwitz / Garth Jackson Gillan. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-3733-7 (hc : alk. paper). - ISBN 0-7914-3734-5 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Life. 2. Reason. 3. Ontology. 4. Good and evil. 5. Holocaust,Jewish (1939-1945)-lnfluence. I. Title. BD435.G46 1998 128-dc21 97-35889 elP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Published by,State University of New York Press,Albany,©1998 State University of New York,All rights reserved,Printed in the United States of America,No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner,whatsoever without written permission. No part of this,book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted,in any form or by any means including electronic,electrostatic,magnetic tape,mechanical,photocopying,recording,or otherwise without the prior permission in,writing of the publisher.,For information,address State University of New York Press,State University Plaza,Albany,NY 12246,Production by Diane Ganeles,Marketing by Fran Keneston,Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data,Gillan,Garth,1939-,Rising from the ruins : reason,being,and the good after,Auschwitz / Garth Jackson Gillan.,p. cm.,Includes bibliographical references and index.,ISBN 0-7914-3733-7 (hc : alk. paper). - ISBN 0-7914-3734-5,(pbk.: alk. paper),1. Life. 2. Reason. 3. Ontology. 4. Good and evil.,5. Holocaust,Jewish (1939-1945)-lnfluence. I. Title.,BD435.G46 1998,128-dc21 97-35889,elP,10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Rising From The Ruins Is An Assessment Of Reason, Being, And The Good In A World Fractured By The Passage Of The Shoah, Or Holocaust. The Historical Character Of Evil That Appeared In The Shoah Damaged The Relationship Of Human Existence To Being, Creating A Time When The Confidence Of Reason To Possess The Truth No Longer Exists. Rising From The Ruins Relocates The Relationships Among Being, Reason, And The Good In Terms Of A Metaphysics, Ethics, And Politics That Derive From Faith And Heteronomy. Rather Than Another Attempt To Document The Horror Of The Shoah, This Book Chronicles What The World Is Like For Those Who Have Read And Listened To Previous Accounts. Rising From The Ruins Doesn't Celebrate Surviving The Holocaust; Instead, It Speaks Of A Rationality That Sees Truth And The Good Through The Eyes Of Suffering And The Silence Of Death. Such A Rationality, Gillan Suggests, Looks More Like Faith, And It Takes Its Place Among The Sweat And Tears Of Common Men And Women Who Are Dedicated To Building A Human City, Populated With Children, The Poor, The Sick, And The Aged.--book Jacket. Violence And Language -- Death And Ontology -- The Politics Of Rupture -- The Ethics Of Heteronomy -- The Redemption Of Reason. Garth Jackson Gillan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 129-133) And Index.