Against Autonomy: Lyotard, Judgement and ActionThis title was first published in 2001: Against Autonomy reassesses Jean-Francois Lyotard's contribution to philosophy and theory, and explores how his work challenges the privileged position of the principle of autonomy in contemporary liberal democratic thinking, as seen in such diverse thinkers as Rawls, Rorty and Fukuyama. Curtis argues that the political models autonomy legitimates are inadequate for thinking justice. Such models invariably promote self-legislation as the ground of freedom turning the subject away from its prior constitution by, and responsibility for, the Other. He explores Lyotard's reading of Kant as well as his responses to Levinas and Heidegger in order to rethink the political. Developing a regulative Idea based on new understandings of heteronomy and an-archy Curtis shows how Lyotard's argument that there are no criteria for justice does not mean judgement and action fall prey to decisionism and relativism, but that this lack of criteria commits us to a renewed sensitivity to events. Examining Lyotard's work in relation to Arendt's writings on the vita activa, this book explores themes of community, communication and action, suggesting how Lyotard's work calls for an alternative conception of political space. This book will be of particular interest to those studying communitarianism, liberalism, anarchism, post-structuralism and postmodernism, particularly within the context of political philosophy, ethics, and political and social theory. Neal Curtis is Lecturer in Communication Studies, Anglia Polytechnic University at Cambridge, UK |
Contents
1 | |
Legitimation | |
Recognition | |
Priority and Responsibility | |
Principles and Foundations | |
Action or Linking and Sharing | |
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according addresser anamnesis anarchism anarchist appearance Arendt argument assumed autonomous subject autonomy bear witness calls capacity Cashinahua causality chapter cognition consciousness considered critique desire determined differend discussion doctrine epistemology ethical event exteriority fact faculty feeling freedom Fukuyama Hegel Heidegger Heidegger's heterogeneity heteronomous an-archy heteronomy Honneth human Idea immemorial incommensurability individual instance irreducible judgement Kant Kantian Kierkegaard Kojève Kojève's Lacan language legitimacy legitimation Levinas liberal democracy linking Lyotard argues means moral law narrative nature normative notion object obligation ontology original position particular philosophy phrase regimes phrase universe phrase-event phronesis plurality Political Liberalism politics of recognition possible practical prescriptive phrase prescriptives and descriptives present principle priority public realm question Rawls reason reflection regard relation remains representation resist responsive action rules sense sensible sensus communis signifies singular social space specific suggests theory Theory of Justice thinking thought thymos transcendence understanding understood vita activa words