The Gift of Death & Literature in Secret

by Derrida, Jacques; Wills, David

• ISBN13: 9780226142760
• ISBN10: 0226142760
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-04-01
• Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr

Summary

The Gift of Death, Jacques Derrida's most sustained consideration of religion, explores questions first introduced in his bookGiven Timeabout the limits of the rational and responsible that one reaches in granting or accepting death, whether by sacrifice, murder, execution, or suicide. Derrida analyzes Czech philosopher Jan Patocka'sHeretical Essays in the Philosophy of Historyand develops and compares his ideas to the works of Heidegger, Levinas, and Kierkegaard. One of Derrida's major works,The Gift of Deathresonates with much of his earlier writing, and this highly anticipated second edition is greatly enhanced by David Wills's updated translation. This new edition also features the first-ever English translation of Derrida's Literature in Secret. In it, Derrida continues his discussion of the sacrifice of Isaac, which leads to bracing meditations on secrecy, forgiveness, literature, and democracy. He also offers a reading of Kafka'sLetter to His Fatherand uses the story of the flood in Genesis as an embarkation point for a consideration of divine sovereignty. "An important contribution to the critical study of ethics that commends itself to philosophers, social scientists, scholars of religion . . . [and those] made curious by the controversy that so often attends Derrida."Booklist, on the first edition

Author Biography

Jacques Derrida (1930–2004) was, at the time of his death, director of studies at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris, and professor of humanities at the University of California, Irvine. He is the author of many books published by the University of Chicago Press. David Wills is professor in the Departments of English and Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at the University at Albany. He is the author of Matchbook: Essays in Deconstruction.

Table of Contents

Translator’s Preface to the 2007 Edition

The Gift of Death

One Secrets of European Responsibility Two Beyond: Giving for the Taking, Teaching and Learning to Give, Death Three Whom to Give to (Knowing Not to Know) Four Tout autre est tout autre

Literature in Secret: An Impossible Filiation

One The Test of Secrecy: For the One as for the Other Two Father, Son, and Literature Three More Than One

Notes

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.