The Philosophy of Virginia Woolf

Towards the end of her life, Virginia Woolf defined her "philosophy"-the "constant idea" that "makes her a writer." She wrote that this idea had given her "the strongest pleasure known to [her]." She called these "exceptional moments," or "moments of being." Thomas Nail contends that Woolf is a philosopher of being. And these "moments of being" as forming a unique process philosophy of motion. In her description of these moments Woolf gives us access to a world in motion and process; where all of nature and matter flows, ripples, and quivers. In these moments the anthropocentric division between humans and nature dissolves into metastable patterns-without essences or vital forces. Matter becomes dynamic, and what originally appeared solid is perceived as woven, porous, and fluid. The Philosophy of Virginia Woolf begins by defining the basic idea of the moment of being, why it is important and how to understand it and its philosophical implications. It recounts a series of 14 ''moments'' each of which explores an aspect of Woolf''s philosophy. They show how the moments evolve and articulate Woolf''s process philosophy of movement. Each moment reveals unique aspects of how moments work and the kind of philosophical vision Woolf held. Nail concludes by addressing some of the ethical and political consequences of these moments in Woolf ''s thinking. In the end, the book contends that Woolf offers us an absolutely unique philosophical and aesthetic understanding of phenomena, including nature, culture, desire, gender, writing/reading, consciousness, art, ecology, and sensation. It shows that Woolf is a philosopher in her own right, and held a unique philosophical position that makes a unique contribution to how to think in the world.>

Auteur
Thomas Nail is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Denver, USA.

Texte du rabat

The first book to introduce the Virginia Woolf as a philosopher in her own right, celebrating the novel theoretical insights of her work.

Contenu

Preface Acknowledgements Part I: Method and Motion Chapter 1: Woolf's Process Materialism Chapter 2: Let us Trace the Pattern Part II: Moments of Becoming Brief Moments Moments 0: The Trance into which Movement had Thrown Them Individual Moments Moment 1: Neither this nor That Moment 2: Connected by Millions of Fibres Moment 3: The Death of the Soul Moment 4: Time Split its Husk Moment 5: The Knotted Roots of Infinite Ages Moment 6: She Felt Herself Everywhere Moment 7: The Lake of Being Moment 8: The Fluidity of Life Moment 9: There is no Stability in this World Nonhuman Moments Moment 10: Part I, A Glimpse Only Moment 10: Part II, Stars Flashing in their Hearts Extended Moments Moment 11: Part I, Hail! Natural Desire! Moment 11: Part II, The Beauty of Movement Moment 11: Part III, Everything was Partly Something Else Collective Moments Moment 12: The World Wavered Moment 13: The Moment: Summer's Night Moment 14: Now the Current Flows Conclusion: Moments of Being Political