Philosophy in a Time of Terror : Dialogues with Jurgen Habermas and Jacques Derrida

by Borradori, Giovanna

• ISBN13: 9780226066660
• ISBN10: 0226066665
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-09-01
• Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr

Summary

The idea forPhilosophy in a Time of Terrorwas born hours after the attacks on 9/11 and was realized just weeks later when Giovanna Borradori sat down with Juuml;rgen Habermas and Jacques Derrida in New York City, in separate interviews, to evaluate the significance of the most destructive terrorist act ever perpetrated. This book marks an unprecedented encounter between two of the most influential thinkers of our age as here, for the first time, Habermas and Derrida overcome their mutual antagonism and agree to appear side by side. As the two philosophers disassemble and reassemble what we think we know about terrorism, they break from the familiar social and political rhetoric increasingly polarized between good and evil. In this process, we watch two of the greatest intellects of the century at work.

Author Biography

Giovanna Borradori is an associate professor of philosophy at Vassar College. She is the author of The American Philosopher: Conversations with Quine, Davidson, Putnam, Nozick, Danto, Rorty, Cavell, MacIntyre, Kuhn, published by the University of Chicago Press, and the editor of Recoding Metaphysics: The New Italian Philosophy.

Table of Contents

Preface Philosophy in a Time of Terror	ix
Acknowledgements	xv
Introduction
Terrorism and the Legacy of the Enlightenment--Habermas and Derrida	1	(24)
PART ONE
Fundamentalism and Terror--A Dialogue with Jurgen Habermas	25	(20)
Reconstructing Terrorism--Habermas	45	(40)
PART TWO
Autoimmunity: Real and Symbolic Suicides---A Dialogue with Jacques Derrida	85	(52)
Deconstructing Terrorism---Derrida	137	(36)
Notes	173	(26)
Index	199