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This book is a critical inquiry into three ideas that have been at the heart of philosophical reflection since time immemorial: freedom, God and immortality. Their inherent connection has disappeared from our thought. We barely pay attention to the latter two ideas, and the notion of freedom is used so loosely today that it has become vacuous. Axel Hutter's book seeks to remind philosophy of its distinct task: only in understanding itself as human self-knowledge that articulates itself in these three ideas will philosophy do justice to its own concept.
In developing this line of argument, Hutter finds an ally in Thomas Mann, whose novel Joseph and His Brothers has more to say about freedom, God and immortality than most contemporary philosophy does. Through his reading of Mann's novel, Hutter explores these three ideas in a distinctive way. He brings out the intimate connection between philosophical self-knowledge and narrative form: Mann's novel gives expression to the depth of human self-understanding and, thus, demands a genuinely philosophical interpretation. In turn, philosophical concepts are freed from abstractness by resonating with the novel's motifs and its rich language.
Narrative Ontology is both a highly original work of philosophy and a vigorous defence of humanism. It brings together philosophy and literature in a creative way, it will be of great interest to students and scholars in philosophy, literature and the humanities in general.
Auteur
Axel Hutter is Professor of Philosophy at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
Contenu
Foreword by Markus Gabriel
Preface
Introduction
The Art of Self-Knowledge
Self-Knowledge The Intangibility of the I Who's Speaking? Narrative Meaning Meaning and Being The Project of a Narrative Ontology The Truth of Art Thomas Mann as Model The Enigma of Human Being Freedom Selfhood as Character
Part One: The Stories of Jacob
The Leitmotif The Original Scene Readings The Unrest of the Blessing Identity of Form and Content The Narrative Decentring of the I Coined Archetypes Isaac's 'Blindness' Selfhood as Self-Understanding
The Thought-Model of the Actor The World as Stage History Meaning of Life? The Author as Narrator and Reader Meaning as Happiness or Happiness as Meaning Connecting Thoughts Cain and Abel The Role of Human Being The Dignity of Universality Humanity in Each Person
Deception and Disappointment Leah Day and Night Nonsense Jacob's Four Deceptions The Denied Sacrifice Dialectic of Spiritual Inheritance Hope Joseph's Gift Mercy of the Last Deception
Part Two: Time and Meaning
Ontology of Egoism Self-Respect Descent into Hell Wandering The Abyss of Time Desperation of Passing Time Memento Mori Promise and Expectation Time that cannot be Enumerated The Feast of the Narrative
Where to Begin? The Adventure of Self-Knowledge In the Image of God Self-Knowledge and Knowledge of God The Courage for Monotheism Not the Good, but the Whole God's History? Model and Succession Theology of Narration
Higher Echelons Human Reason and Language Evil On the Economy of Morality The Narratable World of What Happens Who Narrates? The Novel of the Soul Very Serious Jokes In Praise of Transience
Part Three: The Stories of Joseph
Self-Love Wit in Language Ambiguity of the Talent Knowledge of the Future? Being on One's Way Sympathy Certainty of Death The Dreamer of Dreams The Catastrophe
The Oracle The Simile of the Dying Grain Joseph's Awakening Compassion The Illusionary Character of Individuality The Truth of Illusion At the Empty Grave The Other Simile History in Becoming
Joseph in Egypt Historical and Narrative Attentiveness Laban's Realm Huya and Tuya Egypt as Symbol The Sphinx Interpreting Dreams Pharaoh Letter and Spirit of Understanding Interpretation of God Historical and Narrative Truth Play and Allusion
Conclusion
Making Present
Diagnosis of Time Nihilism as Human Self-Belittlement Abraham's Legacy
References
Notes
Index