Buy Metaphysics of the Profane Book by Eric Jacobson
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Home > Biographies & Memoire > Biography and non-fiction prose > Literary essays > Metaphysics of the Profane: The Political Theology of Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem
Metaphysics of the Profane: The Political Theology of Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem

Metaphysics of the Profane: The Political Theology of Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem


     0     
5
4
3
2
1



International Edition


Award Winner
Awards Winning
2004 | Tiburtius Prize
X
About the Book

Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem are regarded as two of the most influential Jewish thinkers of the twentieth century. Together they produced a dynamic body of ideas that has had a lasting impact on the study of religion, philosophy, and literary criticism. Drawing from Benjamin's and Scholem's ideas on messianism, language, and divine justice, this book traces the intellectual exchange through the early decades of the twentieth century-from Berlin, Bern, and Munich in the throws of war and revolution to Scholem's departure for Palestine in 1923. It begins with a close reading of Benjamin's early writings and a study of Scholem's theological politics, followed by an examination of Benjamin's proposals on language and the influence these ideas had on Scholem's scholarship on Jewish mysticism. From there the book turns to their ideas on divine justice-from Benjamin's critique of original sin and violence to Scholem's application of the categories to the prophets and Bolshevism. Metaphysics of the Profane is the first book to make this early period available to a wider audience, revealing the intricate structure of this early intellectual partnership on politics and theology.

Table of Contents:
I. Messianism 1. The Messianic Idea in Walter Benjamin's Early Writings 2. Gershom Scholem's Theological Politics II. On the Origins of Language and the True Names of Things 3. On the Origins of Language 4. Gershom Scholem and the Name of God III. Justice and Redemption 5. Prophetic Justice 6. Judgment, Violence, and Redemption

About the Author :
Eric Jacobson is Senior Lecturer in Jewish Studies and chair of Theology and Religious Studies at Roehampton University London.

Review :
"Jacobson's superb undertaking reveals profound insights in the early writings of Benjamin and Scholem that may serve well in understanding and resolving contemporary problems in political theology... Recommended." -- Choice " Metaphysics of the Profane is an important, thoughtful, profound, and very welcome study." -- Robert Weldon Whalen, German Studies Review " Metaphysics of the Profane is the first book to make this intellectual exchange clear... This book would be suitable for all Judaica, academic, and public libraries and any institution with an interest in philosophy." -- Magali Milmaniene, Association of Jewish Libraries "The importance of this passionate intellectual friendship has long been recognized. But surprisingly, we have lacked a fine-grained, conceptually sophisticated examination until now Jacobson has given us a compelling restatement of the argument that Scholem was the legitimate heir of Benjamin's early intentions." -- John McCole, The German Quarterly "In this erudite discussion Jacobson moves from a detailed exploration of Benjamin's and Scholem's works on the messianic in history, to their conceptions of language, to a discussion of notions of justice, [offering] deeper insight into the speculative philosophy of metaphysics through a close reading of original texts." -- Hannah Holtschneider, Journal of Theological Studies "Jacobson reveals... how the notion of an intensive magic resounds throughout Benjamin's work." -- Il Sole 24 Ore (Milan) "[Jacobson's] compelling proposal concerns the Judaic concepts in anarchism, leading through the traces of Gershom Scholem's thought, one of the exponents of the religious poles of Central European Jews with a utopian sensibility." -- Il Gazzettino (Venice) "[They] were riveted by the question of 'origins' and the recovery of lost meanings, on truth as hidden, part of a greater structure waiting to be revealed, and the possibility of redemptive moments. . & mdash;what Eric Jacobson has described as the metaphysics of the profane." -- Steven E. Aschheim,, Beyond the Boarder: The German-Jewish Legacy Abroad "Jacobson regards as a key question 'whether redemption is initiated prior to or only after the arrival of the messiah' [which], he argues, remains unresolved in Benjamin's thought." -- R. Lane, Reading Walter Benjamin: Writing Through the Catastrophe "


Best Sellers


Product Details
  • ISBN-13: 9780231126571
  • Publisher: Columbia University Press
  • Publisher Imprint: Columbia University Press
  • Language: English
  • Returnable: N
  • Returnable: N
  • Returnable: N
  • ISBN-10: 0231126573
  • Publisher Date: 20 Aug 2003
  • Binding: Paperback
  • No of Pages: 352
  • Returnable: N
  • Returnable: N
  • Sub Title: The Political Theology of Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem


Similar Products

Add Photo
Add Photo

Customer Reviews

REVIEWS      0     
Click Here To Be The First to Review this Product
Metaphysics of the Profane: The Political Theology of Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem
Columbia University Press -
Metaphysics of the Profane: The Political Theology of Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem
Writing guidlines
We want to publish your review, so please:
  • keep your review on the product. Review's that defame author's character will be rejected.
  • Keep your review focused on the product.
  • Avoid writing about customer service. contact us instead if you have issue requiring immediate attention.
  • Refrain from mentioning competitors or the specific price you paid for the product.
  • Do not include any personally identifiable information, such as full names.

Metaphysics of the Profane: The Political Theology of Walter Benjamin and Gershom Scholem

Required fields are marked with *

Review Title*
Review
    Add Photo Add up to 6 photos
    Would you recommend this product to a friend?
    Tag this Book Read more
    Does your review contain spoilers?
    What type of reader best describes you?
    I agree to the terms & conditions
    You may receive emails regarding this submission. Any emails will include the ability to opt-out of future communications.

    CUSTOMER RATINGS AND REVIEWS AND QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TERMS OF USE

    These Terms of Use govern your conduct associated with the Customer Ratings and Reviews and/or Questions and Answers service offered by Bookswagon (the "CRR Service").


    By submitting any content to Bookswagon, you guarantee that:
    • You are the sole author and owner of the intellectual property rights in the content;
    • All "moral rights" that you may have in such content have been voluntarily waived by you;
    • All content that you post is accurate;
    • You are at least 13 years old;
    • Use of the content you supply does not violate these Terms of Use and will not cause injury to any person or entity.
    You further agree that you may not submit any content:
    • That is known by you to be false, inaccurate or misleading;
    • That infringes any third party's copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other proprietary rights or rights of publicity or privacy;
    • That violates any law, statute, ordinance or regulation (including, but not limited to, those governing, consumer protection, unfair competition, anti-discrimination or false advertising);
    • That is, or may reasonably be considered to be, defamatory, libelous, hateful, racially or religiously biased or offensive, unlawfully threatening or unlawfully harassing to any individual, partnership or corporation;
    • For which you were compensated or granted any consideration by any unapproved third party;
    • That includes any information that references other websites, addresses, email addresses, contact information or phone numbers;
    • That contains any computer viruses, worms or other potentially damaging computer programs or files.
    You agree to indemnify and hold Bookswagon (and its officers, directors, agents, subsidiaries, joint ventures, employees and third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.), harmless from all claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of a breach of your representations and warranties set forth above, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party.


    For any content that you submit, you grant Bookswagon a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, transferable right and license to use, copy, modify, delete in its entirety, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from and/or sell, transfer, and/or distribute such content and/or incorporate such content into any form, medium or technology throughout the world without compensation to you. Additionally,  Bookswagon may transfer or share any personal information that you submit with its third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc. in accordance with  Privacy Policy


    All content that you submit may be used at Bookswagon's sole discretion. Bookswagon reserves the right to change, condense, withhold publication, remove or delete any content on Bookswagon's website that Bookswagon deems, in its sole discretion, to violate the content guidelines or any other provision of these Terms of Use.  Bookswagon does not guarantee that you will have any recourse through Bookswagon to edit or delete any content you have submitted. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days. However, Bookswagon reserves the right to remove or to refuse to post any submission to the extent authorized by law. You acknowledge that you, not Bookswagon, are responsible for the contents of your submission. None of the content that you submit shall be subject to any obligation of confidence on the part of Bookswagon, its agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners or third party service providers (including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.)and their respective directors, officers and employees.

    Accept

    Fresh on the Shelf


    Inspired by your browsing history


    Your review has been submitted!

    You've already reviewed this product!