The Laughter of the Thracian Woman: A Protohistory of Theory (New Directions in German Studies)

This is the first English translation of Hans Blumenberg’s The Laughter of the Thracian Woman: A Protohistory of Theory, complete with new endnote annotations and a new critical afterword by the translator. In this book, Blumenberg discusses the history and function of an anecdote found in Plato’s Theaetetus dialogue. According to the anecdote, the early astronomer and proto-philosopher Thales of Miletus is walking while focused on observing the stars and tumbles down a well that he failed to notice in his path. A Thracian servant girl laughs and comments that he sought to understand what was above him when he did not even know what was right in front of him. Variants of this story recur in texts by Diogenes Laertius, Church Fathers Tertullian and Eusebius, medieval and Renaissance-era preachers, Enlightenment figures Voltaire, Montaigne, Bacon, and Kant, and later by Feuerbach, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Blumenberg’s own colleagues. Some of these philosophers sympathize with Thales’ ambitions while others chastise his negligence. Whatever position they take on the story, Blumenberg suggests that it stands in for the unknowable history leading up to the attitude known as “theory.” By retelling the anecdote, philosophers reveal their distinctive values regarding absorption in curiosity, philosophy’s past, and the demand that theorists abide by sanctioned methods and procedures. In this work and others, Blumenberg demonstrates that European intellectual history’s most cherished images and anecdotes have proven indispensable not as fixed ideas, but as metaphors, that is, as representations whose meanings remain indefinite and invite frequent reinterpretation. An important work by 20-century philosopher Hans Blumenberg, here translated into English for the first time, 'The Laughter of the Thracian Woman' describes the reception history of an anecdote best known from Plato's 'Theaetetus' dialogue: while focused on observing the stars, the early astronomer and proto-philosopher Thales of Miletus fails to see a well directly in his path and tumbles down. A Thracian servant girl laughs, amused that he sought to understand what was above him when he was not mindful of what was right in front of him. Variants of this story recur in texts by Diogenes Laertius, Church Fathers Tertullian and Eusebius, medieval and Renaissance-era preachers, Enlightenment figures Voltaire, Montaigne, Bacon, and Kant, and later in works by Feuerbach, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Blumenberg's own colleagues. Some of these philosophers sympathize with Thales' ambitions while others chastise his negligence. Blumenberg sees the story as a highly sought substitute for oour missing knowledge of the earliest historical events that would fit the label "theory." By retelling the anecdote, philosophers reveal their distinctive values regarding absorption in curiosity, philosophy's past, and the demand that theorists abide by sanctioned methods and procedures. In this work and others, Blumenberg demonstrates that philosophers' most beloved images and anecdotes have become indispensable to philosophy as metaphors; that is, as representations whose meanings remain indefinite and invite frequent reinterpretation.-- Provided by publisher "An important work by 20-century philosopher Hans Blumenberg, here translated into English for the first time, The Laughter of the Thracian Woman describes the reception history of an anecdote best known from Plato's Theaetetus dialogue: while focused on observing the stars, the early astronomer and proto-philosopher Thales of Miletus fails to see a well directly in his path and tumbles down. A Thracian servant girl laughs, amused that he sought to understand what was above him when he was not mindful of what was right in front of him. Blumenberg sees the story as a highly sought substitute for our missing knowledge of the earliest historical events that would fit the label "theory." By retelling the anecdote, philosophers reveal their distinctive values regarding absorption in curiosity, philosophy's past, and the demand that theorists abide by sanctioned methods and procedures. In this work and others, Blumenberg demonstrates that philosophers' most beloved images and anecdotes have become indispensable to philosophy as metaphors; that is, as representations whose meanings remain indefinite and invite frequent reinterpretation."--Bloomsbury Publishing. "An important work by 20-century philosopher Hans Blumenberg, here translated into English for the first time, The Laughter of the Thracian Woman describes the reception history of an anecdote best known from Plato's Theaetetus dialogue: while focused on observing the stars, the early astronomer and proto-philosopher Thales of Miletus fails to see a well directly in his path and tumbles down. A Thracian servant girl laughs, amused that he sought to understand what was above him when he was not mindful of what was right in front of him. Blumenberg sees the story as a highly sought substitute for our missing knowledge of the earliest historical events that would fit the label "theory." By retelling the anecdote, philosophers reveal their distinctive values regarding absorption in curiosity, philosophy's past, and the demand that theorists abide by sanctioned methods and procedures. In this work and others, Blumenberg demonstrates that philosophers' most beloved images and anecdotes have become indispensable to philosophy as metaphors; that is, as representations whose meanings remain indefinite and invite frequent reinterpretation."--Rabat de la couverture Can Iranians and Americans find common ground to overcome their troubled history? U.S.-Iran Misperceptions is the first written dialogue on the key issues that separate these two great countries. Bringing together former policy makers and international relations experts from the United States and Iran, U.S.-Iran Misperceptions: A Dialogue provides new insights into and arguments about how each country's elites view the other, and how misperceptions have blocked the two from forging a normal and productive relationship. Guided by the leading theorist of misperceptions in international relations, Columbia University Professor Robert Jervis, the book moves from Jervis's opening essay to consider mutual perceptions of ideology, nuclear weapons, neo-imperialism, regional hegemony, and the future of the relationship. It presents authoritative, clear-eyed assessments, while seeking plausible ways the two countries can avoid a catastrophic war and rebuild the relationship. U.S.-Iran Misperceptions: A Dialogue offers uncompromising analysis and cautious optimism FC New Directions in German Studies Volumes in the series Title Copyright Contents About this Book 1 Theory as Exotic Behavior 2 Socrates is Transferred into Protohistory 3 Knowledge about Heaven and Competence on Earth 4 The Theorist between Comedy and Tragedy 5 Reoccupations 6 Astrological Predominance 7 Applause and Reproach from the Moralists 8 In the Grip of Historical Criticism 9 From Cursing Sinners to Reproaching Creation 10 Tycho Brahe’s Coachman and the Earthquake in Lisbon 11 Absentmindednesses 12 Where Thales had Failed, According to Nietzsche 13 How to Recognize what Matters 14 Interdisciplinarity as Repetition of Protohistory Afterword: Reading into the Distance Note on Translation and Annotations Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index The First Translation Into English, With Annotations And A Critical Introduction, Of A Significant Study Of The Importance Of The Metaphor In Philosophy.