Saturday, September 01, 2007

Our favorite Scientifico-Enlightenment-Lacanian-Rationalist

An und für sich “This is more a comment than a question…”
Fall Book Preview (w/ Link Dump!) by Anthony Paul Smith August 31st, 2007
I’ve made a list of some new books coming out this Fall that have sample chapters online, so interested parties that don’t already know can check them out.
The Centre of Theology and Philosophy is publishing five books this fall on SCM Press. Some of these books have their respective introductions and first chapter’s online. As I spent a month indexing the conference volumes I can say that they are well worth reading if you have interests in these areas and present a good variance of viewpoints and work. Our favorite Scientifico-Enlightenment-Lacanian-Rationalist has a blog post cited in Belief and Metaphysics in an essay by Marcus Pound, whose Theology, Psychoanalysis and Trauma is sure to be controversial amongst Lacanians. It should be noted that I don’t exactly quite line up with the purpose of the books series, so don’t expect a defense of the orientation, but I will say that they are looking to be quite good regardless. For those attending the AAR this year do come to the book launch and drink free alcohol with me.
Palgrave has really taken off as a publisher of interesting work in Continental philosophy. Three books in the Renewing Philosophy series look particularly interesting to me. Art Encounters Deleuze and Guattari: Thought Beyond Representation by Simon O’Sullivan, On Futurity:Malabou, Nancy & Derrida by Jean-Paul Martinon, and of course Nihil Unbound: Enlightenment and Extinction by Ray Brassier. The last of which I believe will be the focus of a reading group here at Nottingham, but the price may prohibit that. Palgrave has also founded two new series that look very promising. Miguel de Beistegui will be editing the Palgrave Forum for French Philosophy and John Protevi will be editing New Directions in Philosophy and Cognitive Science. All of this with the recent Henri Bergson Centennial Series makes Palgrave my current favorite publisher. Now if only they’d publish these at an affordable price.
Lastly is Philip Goodchild’s Theology of Money. I’ve read about a 2/3 of this in draft form and think it is a very powerful piece of work. Sure to be controversial, I can only hope it will also be read. Posted by Anthony Paul Smith Filed in academia 6 Responses to “Fall Book Preview (w/ Link Dump!)”
Alex Says: August 31st, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Dude, we are gonna read Brassier if we have to share one copy. It is the shizz nizzle, although probably seriously wrong, but like his other stuff inspirationally wrong. Totally inspirationally wrong.
See also the book in the Centre affiliated series, Illuminations, The End of Work, a critique of capitalism criticizing its inherent utilitarianism drawing upon the resources of John Ruskin and William Morris. I have read a fair bit of it, and it is pretty damned interesting stuff, though not as good, of course, as my work on the subject (mah hahahahahahah etc).
You forgot the upcoming release of Conor Cunningham’s book on Darwinism, Evolution: Darwin’s Pious Idea, which is likely to put the Centre on the map by critiquing both dogmatic Dawkinish neo-Darwinism and intelligent design, and giving a theological re-reading of Evolution. This, of course, being trailed by his excellent essay in the Belief and Metaphysics volume, which might be the best thing a theologian proper has written on the subject.
The Goodchild book also looks very sexy.
Anthony Paul Smith Says: August 31st, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Is Illuminations Centre affiliated?
Anyway, I didn’t include the books that didn’t have sample chapters up. Conor’s Darwinism book should be good, but I’m not sure that it’s coming out in the Fall.
Alex Says: August 31st, 2007 at 3:14 pm
I seem to recall the “this idea is further explored in my book” citation in Belief and Metaphysics is vaguely 2007, I am assuming soonish, as it is finished.
As the Illuminations thing is edited by John, I would assume that it is affiliated. One of the books has already arrived and is mentioned on the site. It just isn’t getting as much promotion.
£40 for Proposing Theology - you are having a laugh!
Anthony Paul Smith Says: August 31st, 2007 at 3:16 pm
I assume that price will be changed once they get the manuscript. It’s under 200 pages and supposed to be a kind of manifesto!
Alex Says: August 31st, 2007 at 3:19 pm
I suspect that it must be based upon his programatic address five or six months back. Thats what he said anyhow!
Goodchild’s Introduction is so much cooler with the inclusion of “a parable”.
marcegoodman Says:
August 31st, 2007 at 11:55 pm
Anthony,
Thanks for these. The link to the Palgrave Forum for French Philosophy series appears broken. Here is a working link.
http://www.palgrave.com/philosophy/pffp.asp
Are you presenting at AAR?

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