Humanities Translation Series: The Politics of Friendship and Other Essays

Author: Jacques Derrida (France)
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Derrida's Politics of Friendship is undoubtedly one of the most important political philosophy works of the second half of the 20th century! Together with his The Specters of Marx, it forms the core literature of the deconstructionist school's "political philosophy." Through repeatedly listening to Aristotle's famous quote: "Ah, friend, without friends!" In such an extreme intellectual experience and adventure, Derrida deconstructs the political philosophy tradition based on "friendship," while also responding to Schmitt's opposing "political theology of the enemy." Accompanied by Nietzsche's call to the new philosopher who speaks of "perhaps," in the undecided decision, the analysis reveals the possibility of "coming democracy." The other two related articles are: one where Derrida responds to the challenge of the Marxist left with deconstructive political theology and "messianism without messianism," and another that connects Levinas's ethics to supplement Benjamin's reflections on violence and totalitarianism. Both involve the core of Derrida's political thought: deconstruction is justice, and justice is indeconstructible!