Product Description

"Being and Event" is the centrepiece of Alain Badiou's oeuvre; it is the work that grounds his reputation as one of France's most original philosophers. Long-awaited in translation, "Being and Event" makes available to an English-speaking readership Badiou's groundbreaking work on set theory - the cornerstone of his whole philosophy. This book makes the scope and aim of Badiou's whole philosophical project clear, enabling full comprehension of Badiou's significance for contemporary philosophy. In "Being and Event", Badiou anchors this project by recasting the European philosophical tradition from Plato onwards, via a series of analyses of such key figures as Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Hegel, Rousseau, and Lacan. He thus develops the basis for a history of philosophy rivalling those of Heidegger and Deleuze in its depth. This wide-ranging book is organised in a precise and novel manner, reflecting the philosophical rigour of Badiou's thought. Unlike many contemporary Continental philosophers, Badiou - who is also a novelist and dramatist - writes lucidly and cogently, making his work accessible and engaging. This English language edition includes a new preface, written especially for this translation. "Being and Event" is essential reading for Badiou's considerable following and anyone interested in contemporary Continental philosophy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15786 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-28
• Original language: French
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 526 pages

Review
"'A significant book, one which one cannot fail to find staggering.' - Jean Francois-Lyotard 'One of the most important philosophers writing today.' - Joan Copjec 'A book of exceptional scope and rare courage of thought that tackles the whole of Philosophy, from Parmenides to Heidegger.' - Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe"

Joan Copjec
'One of the most important philosophers writing today.'

Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe
'A book of exceptional scope and rare courage of thought that tackles the whole of Philosophy, from Parmenides to Heidegger.'

Customer Reviews

A Philosophical Renaissance?
Badiou, quite late in the day, in the wake of the fading giants of poststructuralism, has drawn from them and tried to revivify the philosophical enterprise.

I'm not entirely convinced that ontology is inscribed by mathematics and, set theory in particular - but it is a fascinating theoretical concept: that mathematical thought is the thought of being. Interestingly Badiou manages to link Parmenides to Being through Set Theory. Personally, I like the idea but think the mathematics Badious wants has yet to be created - still it is a bold step.

The idea that aside from Being there are Events which irrupt out of the void of Being, the uncounted, the glossed over, This again has tremendous intellectual force but Badiou, I think, succeeds in introducing the conception but I don't think his limited materialistic position does full justice and it will wait for a future philosopher to take this idea further and truly bring out its revolutionary forice.

All of this sounds negative but it isn't. Badiou is a much needed French counterpoint to the excesses of postmodernism and his return to Plato - again rather distorted and muddled - is worthy of thought.

Thoroughly recommended.

In all honest you should read Heidegger's Being and Time and sidestep the deconstructionist tradition that has stolen him. Badiou is a good follow on from Heidegger in that respect.