Endgames: The Irreconcilable Nature of Modernity: Essays and
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Wellmer, Albrecht / Midgley, David, PUBLISHER: MIT Press (MA), A common theme of this set of thirteen essays by one of the major figures in contemporary German philosophy is the idea of a postmetaphysical modernity. In his preface Wellmer relates the title of his book, "Endgames," ong>toong> this common theme: The hisong>toong>rical uong>toong>pias of the Marxist tradition and the programs of ultimate justification in the Kantian tradition are both endgames "ong>withong>in" metaphysics, the deconstruction of those uong>toong>pias and programs of ultimate justification are endgames played "ong>withong>" metaphysics, and the game ong>withong> an end as ultimate telos--the end(s) of hisong>toong>ry, the end(s) of knowledge, the end(s) of human life--is metaphysics. The title, "Endgames," finally also refers polemically ong>toong> postmodernist games ong>withong> an end of modernity; as opposed ong>toong> these, Wellmer defends the fragile moral and political substance of the modernity that postmodernists attempt ong>toong> overcome--and that sense of what needs ong>toong> be preserved of the modern tradition for a postmetaphysical modernity is what makes his writings unique. In the first of the book's three parts, "Negative and Communicative Freedom," Wellmer focuses on political philosophy, examining in particular the links and tensions between liberal basic rights and modern ideas of democracy. In Part II, "Postmetaphysical Perspectives," he attempts ong>toong> develop a postmetaphysical perspective on aesthetics and metaphysics (ong>withong> and against Adorno), on the problem of truth (ong>withong> and against Richard Rorty, Jurgen Habermas, and Karl-Otong>toong> Apel), and on hermeneutics (ong>withong> and against Hans-Georg Gadamer and Karl-Otong>toong> Apel). Part III, "Images of the Times," contains occasional pieces on Ludwig Wittgenstein, the Frankfurt School, Hans Jonas, and architecture. The book closes ong>withong> an appended critical essay on Hannah Arendt, ong>reflectingong> the importance of Arendt's political philosophy ong>toong> Wellmer's work.