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“Being And Event,” by Alain Badiou, was published in 2007 by Continuum in London. It is, indeed, a monumental book. In my opinion, it restores the dignity and elegance of mathematics to continental philosophy. Although “Being And Event” is a challenging read, the rewards of the book greatly outweigh the difficulties encountered. And as far as philosophy is concerned, this book presents a fresh approach to ontology, one which goes considerably beyond the limitations of the Heideggerian edifice. Based largely on the achievements of set theory, “Being And Event” argues for an open ontology, one wherein truth can rupture seemingly static conceptual and social situations ... thus bringing about changes of universal significance. But nevertheless, what has drawn me most inescapably to “Being And Event” is that Badiou has included in the very interstices of the book chapters on poets, from Parmenides to Mallarmé and beyond, their poetries, and perceptive anyalyses of poetic works, and ALL combined in the very processes of mathematics and philosophy. The poetry chapters are not mere fluff, as with most mathematicians, scientists, and philosophers, but are integrated within the very structure and the fundamental arguments of the book. Badiou, like Herodotus, seems to remember a time when poetry had not yet divided itself out from mathematics. Indeed, if there is a philosopher/mathematician for poets today, and a philosopher poet for the day, surely it would be Alain Badiou. Regards, Séamas Cain http://www.freewebs.com/seamascain _____________________________________ ______________________________________________ SPECTRE list for media culture in Deep Europe Info, archive and help: http://post.in-mind.de/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/spectre
