About the book
This sustained and distinctively Buddhist challenge to the ontology of Jean-Paul Sartre's Being and Nothingness resolves the incoherence implicit in the Sartrean conception of nothingness by opening to a Buddhist vision of emptiness. Rooted in the insights of Madhyamika dialectic and an articulated meditative (zen) phenomenology, Nothingness and Emptiness uncovers and examines the assumptions that sustain Sartre's early phenomenological ontology and questions his theoretical elaboration of consciousness as \"nothingness.\" Laycock demonstrates that, in addition to a \"relative\" nothingness (the for-itself) defined against the positivity and plenitude of the in-itself, Sartre's ontology requires, but also repudiates, a conception of \"absolute\" nothingness (the Buddhist \"emptiness\"), and is thus, as it stands, logically unstable, perhaps incoherent. The author is not simply critical; he reveals the junctures at which Sartrean ontology appeals for a Buddhist conception of emptiness and offers the needed supplement.
Editions of Nothingness and Emptiness
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780791449097
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780791449103
- PDF
- ISBN 9780791490969
Read an Excerpt
This sustained and distinctively Buddhist challenge to the ontology of Jean-Paul Sartre's Being and Nothingness resolves the incoherence implicit in the Sartrean conception of nothingness by opening to a Buddhist vision of emptiness. Rooted in the insights of Madhyamika dialectic and an articulated meditative (zen) phenomenology, Nothingness and Emptiness uncovers and examines the assumptions that sustain Sartre's early phenomenological ontology and questions his theoretical elaboration of consciousness as \"nothingness.\" Laycock demonstrates that, in addition to a \"relative\" nothingness (the for-itself) defined against the positivity and plenitude of the in-itself, Sartre's ontology requires, but also repudiates, a conception of \"absolute\" nothingness (the Buddhist \"emptiness\"), and is thus, as it stands, logically unstable, perhaps incoherent. The author is not simply critical; he reveals the junctures at which Sartrean ontology appeals for a Buddhist conception of emptiness and offers the needed supplement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nothingness and Emptiness about?
This sustained and distinctively Buddhist challenge to the ontology of Jean-Paul Sartre's Being and Nothingness resolves the incoherence implicit in the Sartrean conception of nothingness by opening to a Buddhist vision of emptiness. Rooted in the insights of Madhyamika dialectic and an articulated meditative (zen) phenomenology, Nothingness and Emptiness uncovers and examines the assumptions that sustain Sartre's early phenomenological ontology and questions his theoretical elaboration of consciousness as \"nothingness.\" Laycock demonstrates that, in addition to a \"relative\" nothingness (the for-itself) defined against the positivity and plenitude of the in-itself, Sartre's ontology requires, but also repudiates, a conception of \"absolute\" nothingness (the Buddhist \"emptiness\"), and is thus, as it stands, logically unstable, perhaps incoherent. The author is not simply critical; he reveals the junctures at which Sartrean ontology appeals for a Buddhist conception of emptiness and offers the needed supplement.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Nothingness and Emptiness?
Philosophy and Religion > Philosophy > Philosophical traditions and schools of thought > Western philosophy from c 1800 > Phenomenology and Existentialism
Where can I read a sample of Nothingness and Emptiness?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780791449097
How long is Nothingness and Emptiness and how many pages does it have?
Nothingness and Emptiness has 223 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Nothingness and Emptiness?
Steven W. Laycock
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Nothingness and Emptiness is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780791449097) and paperback(ISBN 9780791449103) and pdf(ISBN 9780791490969)
Where can I buy Nothingness and Emptiness online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Nothingness and Emptiness from below
Where can I buy Nothingness and Emptiness?