The Bloomsbury Companion to Existentialism

by Felicity Joseph (Editor), Jack Reynolds (Editor), Ashley Woodward (Editor)

Overview

The Bloomsbury Companion to Existentialism offers the definitive guide to a key area of modern European philosophy. Now available in paperback, the book covers the fundamental questions asked by existentialism, providing valuable guidance for students and researchers to some of the many important and enduring contributions of existentialist thinkers. Chapters from an international team of experts explore existentialism's relationship to philosophical method; ontology; politics; psychoanalysis; ethics; religion; literature; emotion; feminism and sexuality; emotions; authenticity and the self; its significance in Latin American culture; and its contribution to the development of post-structuralism and cognitive science. In addition, five short chapters summarize the status of canonical figures Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre and de Beauvoir, delineating the historical approach to their work, while pointing to new directions such research is now taking.

Featuring a series of indispensable research tools such as an A to Z glossary, a timeline of key events, texts and thinkers in existentialism, a list of resources and an annotated guide to further reading, this Companion is an essential resource to help the new reader navigate through the heart of Existentialism and modern European philosophy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472567833
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/20/2014
Series:	Bloomsbury Companions
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Jack Reynolds is Chair of Philosophy at Deakin University, Australia. He has written four books: Chronopathologies: The Politics of Time in Deleuze, Derrida, Analytic Philosophy and Phenomenology (2012), Analytic Versus Continental: Arguments on the Methods and Value of Philosophy (2010, with James Chase), Merleau-Ponty and Derrida: Intertwining Embodiment and Alterity (2004), and Understanding Existentialism (2006). He has also co-edited five collections: Sartre: Key Concepts (2013), Postanalytic and Metacontinental: Crossing Philosophical Divides (2010), Merleau-Ponty: Key Concepts (2008) and Understanding Derrida (Continuum 2004).

Felicity Joseph teaches philosophy at the University of Melbourbane, Australia.

Ashley Woodward is a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Dundee, UK. He is a founding member of The Melbourbane School of Continental Philosophy, and an editor of Parrhesia: A Jourbanal of Critical Philosophy. He is author of Understanding Nietzscheanism (2011), Nihilism in Postmodernity: Lyotard, Baudrillard, Vattimo (2010), editor of Interpreting Nietzsche (2011) and co-editor of Sensorium: Aesthetics, Art, Life (2007) and Gilbert Simondon: Being and Technology (2012).

Table of Contents

Contributors
1. Introduction Felicity Joseph, Jack Reynolds and Ashley Woodward (University of Melbourbane, La Trobe University and Melbourbane School of Continental Philosophy, Australia)
2. Existentialism, Phenomenology and Philosophical Method Felicity Joseph and Jack Reynolds (University of Melbourbane and La Trobe University, Australia)
Part I: Current Research and Issues
3. Existentialism, Metaphysics and Ontology Christian Onof (Birkbeck College, University of London, UK)
4. Existentialism and Politics David Sherman (University of Montana, USA)
5. Existentialism, Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Douglas Kirsner (Deakin University, Australia)
6. Existentialism and Ethics Debra Bergoffen (George Mason University, USA)
7. Existentialism and Religion George Pattison (University of Oxford, UK)
8. Existentialism and Literature Colin Davis (Royal Holloway College, University of London, UK)
9. Existentialism, Feminism and Sexuality Marguerite La Caze (University of Queensland, Australia)
10. Existentialism and the Emotions Suzanne L. Cataldi (Southern Illinois University, USA)
11. Existentialism, Authenticity and the Self Christopher Macann
12. Existentialism and Latin America Roberto Domingo Toledo (Stony Brook University, USA)
Part II: New Directions
13. Existentialism and Cognitive Science Michael Wheeler and Ezequiel Di Paolo (University of Stirling, UK and University of the Basque Country, Spain)
14. Existentialism and Poststructuralism: Some Unfashionable Observations Jack Reynolds and Ashley Woodward (La Trobe University and Melbourbane School of Continental Philosophy, Australia)
15. Recent Developments in Scholarship on Key Existentialists
I. Kierkegaard William McDonald (University of New England, USA)
II. Nietzsche Keith Ansell-Pearson (University of Warwick, UK)
III. Heidegger Andrew J. Mitchell (Emory University, USA)
IV. Sartre Peter Gratton (University of San Diego, USA)
V. De Beauvoir Laura Hengehold (Case Western Reserve University, USA)
Part III: Resources
16. A–Z Glossary
17. A Chronology of Key Events, Texts and Thinkers
18. Research Resources in Existentialism
19. Annotated Guide to Further Reading
Index

Editorial Reviews

An exceptionally fruitful addition to the Continuum Companions, this volume on Existentialism gathers together an impressive range of scholars on a wide variety of research areas ranging through the philosophical, the psychoanalytic, the historical, the religious, and the literary to contemporary cognitive science and politics. Highly recommended for students and academics alike.” —Christina Howells, Professor of French, University of Oxford, UK

“...this book is a clear achievement and stands out as a key reference and guide for all with an interest in existentialism as a whole or in individual existentialist thinkers. Its depth is encyclopaedic and impressive and its perspective is all at once retrospective, current and forward-looking.” —Sartre Studies International

“This is a welcome addition to the set of philosophy "companion" books dominated by Oxford, Cambridge, and Wiley-Blackwell. Besides the main section by contemporary scholars on current research and issues in existentialism, the editors provide sections on new directions in existentialism and recent developments in scholarship on Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir. Also included are a glossary of terms; a chronology of key events in the history of existentialism; research resources including websites, institutions, jourbanals and societies; and an annotated guide to further readings for each of the main existential philosophers. These features add scope and depth that set this book apart from others written for novices. Readers get a comprehensive introduction to existentialism.” —CHOICE Magazine

“This volume is an important addition to research on existentialism and it provides a comprehensive overview of its history, its impact, and the likely areas for its continuing influence. It is a very useful collection for researchers in existentialism, as well as for undergraduate students.” —Simon Lumsden, University of New South Wales, Australia, Australasian Jourbanal of Philosophy

“The spirit of this Companion is that of advocate, teacher and muse, to those drawn to existentialism but unable to fully formulate the continuing relevance and importance of this school of thought. Pierre Hadot's What is Ancient Philosophy? strove to make ancient philosophy a wise and fruitful field around which to build a career and life; so, too, this Companion makes the case for the wisdom of existentialism.” —Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

From the Publisher