The Dwarf in the Chess Machine offers a study of the tension between materialism and theology in the work of the German-Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin. Belgian philosopher, art historian, writer and activist Lieven De Cauter takes Benjamin’s own metaphor—that there is a “dwarf of theology” hidden inside the seemingly mechanical, seemingly inevitable power of historical materialism—and traces its presence throughout Benjamin’s oeuvre, showing how it produced his unique take on historical materialism.
In the course of demonstrating this thesis, De Cauter examines Benjamin’s language theory, his art theory, his philosophy of history and his legendary, labyrinthine unfinished magnum opus on Paris, the Arcades Project. The resulting book is a detailed, meticulous and lucid analysis of the structure of Benjamin's texts and an indispensable resource for anyone who admires the work of one of the most influential and prophetic thinkers of the 20th century.
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FORMAT: Pbk, 5.75 x 9 in. / 474 pgs. LIST PRICE: U.S. $60.00 LIST PRICE: CANADA $85 ISBN: 9789462084971 PUBLISHER: Nai010 Publishers AVAILABLE: 5/21/2019 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Active AVAILABILITY: In stock TERRITORY: NA LA ME
The Dwarf in the Chess Machine Benjamin’s Hidden Doctrine
Published by Nai010 Publishers. By Lieven De Cauter.
The Dwarf in the Chess Machine offers a study of the tension between materialism and theology in the work of the German-Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin. Belgian philosopher, art historian, writer and activist Lieven De Cauter takes Benjamin’s own metaphor—that there is a “dwarf of theology” hidden inside the seemingly mechanical, seemingly inevitable power of historical materialism—and traces its presence throughout Benjamin’s oeuvre, showing how it produced his unique take on historical materialism.
In the course of demonstrating this thesis, De Cauter examines Benjamin’s language theory, his art theory, his philosophy of history and his legendary, labyrinthine unfinished magnum opus on Paris, the Arcades Project. The resulting book is a detailed, meticulous and lucid analysis of the structure of Benjamin's texts and an indispensable resource for anyone who admires the work of one of the most influential and prophetic thinkers of the 20th century.
