Description
Book SynopsisLiane Carlson historicizes contingency by tying it to its theological and etymological roots in “touch,” contending that its disruptive power is specific to our current moment. A strikingly original reconsideration of one of continental philosophy and critical theory’s most cherished concepts, this book reveals the limits of historicist accounts.
Trade ReviewLiane Carlson employs deft literary analysis and sensibility in a philosophical reflection that is both original and important. -- Wayne Proudfoot, author of
Religious ExperienceIn response to influential currents of genealogical critique that would denaturalize our major concepts—such as religion—by highlighting their historical contingency, Liane Carlson
advances an alternative understanding of contingency, and of religion, in terms of our vulnerable bodies, our fluid emotions, and our experience of touch as that which can make, or unmake, a world. While grounded in a scholarship whose range and depth are impressive, Carlson's work engages more fundamentally in a constructive thinking—about the character and meaning of finite human existence—that seems to me, in its lucidity, nuance, honesty, and existential investment, a notable and welcome contribution. -- Thomas A. Carlson, author of
With the World at Heart: Studies in the Secular TodayIn this genuinely interdisciplinary study, Liane Carlson argues compellingly that the history of Christian theology is necessary for understanding modern debates about the historical, political, ethical, and existential meanings of contingency. With special attention to the role of human suffering within these debates, Carlson grapples with fundamental questions about time, the body, and human finitude. Anyone interested in the study of religion as well as the humanities more broadly has much to learn from this elegantly written, deeply learned, and truly original book. -- Leora F. Batnitzky, Ronald O. Perelman Professor of Jewish Studies, Princeton University
Delicately wrought, fiercely argued, and magisterial in scope, Liane Carlson's work analyzes the contingency of the 'contingency' animating our most beloved theories and methods. The result is politically savvy, ethically pressing, and absurdly readable—honestly, I don't think it's possible to overstate the significance or painful beauty of this book. -- Mary-Jane Rubenstein, author of
Pantheologies: Gods, Worlds, MonstersPowerful writing. * The Revealer *
Comprehensive and written in terrifically fluid prose—noteworthy in a new treatment of a topic that is potentially dense—the book includes vivid examples that make it accessible even to those new to the concept of contingency. . . Highly recommended. * Choice *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction
1. Illness
2. Loneliness
3. Violation
4. Love
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
