Seeing Silence

**Mark C. Taylor explores the many variations of silence by considering the work of leading visual artists, philosophers, theologians, writers, and composers.** “To hear silence is to find stillness in the midst of the restlessness that makes creative life possible and the inescapability of death acceptable.” So writes Mark C. Taylor in his latest book__,__ a philosophy of silence for our nervous, chattering age. How do we find silence—and more importantly, how do we __understand__ it—amid the incessant buzz of the networks that enmesh us? Have we forgotten how to listen to each other, to recognize the virtues of modesty and reticence, and to appreciate the resonance of silence? Are we less prepared than ever for the ultimate silence that awaits us all? Taylor wants us to pause long enough to hear what is not said and to attend to what remains unsayable. In his account, our way to __hearing__ silence is, paradoxically, to __see__ it. He explores the many variations of silence by considering the work of leading modern and postmodern visual artists, including Barnett Newman, Ad Reinhardt, James Turrell, and Anish Kapoor. Developing the insights of philosophers, theologians, writers, and composers, Taylor weaves a rich narrative modeled on the Stations of the Cross. His chapter titles suggest our positions toward silence: __Without. Before. From. Beyond. Against. Within. Between. Toward. Around. With. In.__ Recasting Hegel’s phenomenology of spirit and Kierkegaard’s stages on life’s way, Taylor translates the traditional __Via Dolorosa__ into a Nietzschean __Via Jubilosa__ that affirms light in the midst of darkness. __Seeing Silence__ is a thoughtful meditation that invites readers to linger long enough to see silence, and, in this way, perhaps to hear once again the wordless Word that once was named “God.” "Finding silence amidst restlessness is what makes creative life possible-and death comprehensible. But how do we find-more importantly, how do we "understand"--Silence while immersed in the chattering of the digital age? Have we forgotten how to listen? Are we less prepared than ever for the ultimate silence that awaits us all? Mark C. Taylor's new book is a philosophy of silence for our nervous, buzzing present, a timely work for a world where noise is a means of distraction, domination, and control. Here Taylor asks the reader to pause long enough to hear what is not said, and to attend to what remains unsayable. But in his account, our way to "hearing" silence is to "see" it: Taylor explores variations of silence by considering the work of leading modem and postmodern visual artists, from Barnett Newman and Ad Reinhardt to James Turrell and Anish Kapoor. Drawing also on the insights of philosophers, theologians, writers, and composers, he weaves a rich narrative modeled on the Stations of the Cross. "We come from and return to silence; in between, silence is the gap, hesitation, interval that allows thoughts to form and words to emerge," he writes. His chapter titles suggest our positions toward silence--or rather, our pre-positions: Without. Before. From. Beyond. Against. Within. Around. Between. Toward. With. In. Recasting Hegel's phenomenology of spirit and Kierkegaard's stages on life's way, Taylor translates the traditional "Via Dolorosa" into a Nietzschean "Via Jubilosa" that affirms silence in the midst of noise, light in the midst of darkness"-- Provided by publisher This wide-ranging study explores the many meanings of silence through the work of visual artists, philosophers, theologians, writers, and composers. Mark C. Taylor's prolific output has delved into topics ranging from media to metaphysics and from postmodern theology to posthuman bodies. His latest explores the significance of silence amid the buzzing networks of our modern age. Have we forgotten how to listen to each other, to recognize the virtues of modesty and reticence, and to appreciate the resonance of silence? Are we less prepared than ever for the ultimate silence that awaits us all? In Taylor's account, our way to hearing silence is, paradoxically, to see it. He explores the many variations of silence by considering the work of leading modern and postmodern visual artists, including Barnett Newman, Ad Reinhardt, James Turrell, and Anish Kapoor. Developing the insights of philosophers, theologians, writers, and composers, Taylor weaves a rich narrative modeled on the Stations of the Cross. Recasting Hegel's phenomenology of spirit and Kierkegaard's stages on life's way, Taylor translates the traditional Via Dolorosa into a Nietzschean Via Jubilosa that affirms light in the midst of darkness. Seeing Silence is a thoughtful meditation that invites readers to linger long enough to see silence, and, in this way, perhaps to hear once again the wordless Word that once was named "God."