About the book
How do we live ethically? What role do sex and race play in living or being ethically? Can ethics lead to ontology? Can literature play a role in ethical being? Drawing extensively on the work of Luce Irigaray, Frantz Fanon, and Martin Heidegger, Penelope Ingram argues that ethical questions must be understood in light of ontological ones. It is only when sexual and racial difference are viewed at an ontological level that ethics is truly possible. Central to the connection between ontology and ethics is the role of language. Ingram revisits the relationship between representation and matter in order to advance a theory of material signification. She examines a number of twentieth-century film and literary texts, including Neil Jordan's The Crying Game, J. M. Coetzee's Foe, Toni Morrison's Paradise, and Don DeLillo's The Body Artist, to demonstrate that material signification, rather than representation, is crucial to our experience of living authentically and achieving an ethical relation with the Other. By attending closely to Heidegger's, Irigaray's, and Fanon's positions on language, this original work argues that the literary text is indispensable to a \"revealing\" of the relationship between ontology and ethics, and through it, the reader can experience a state of \"authentic Being ethically.\"
Editions of The Signifying Body
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780791474433
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780791474440
- PDF
- ISBN 9780791478370
Read an Excerpt
How do we live ethically? What role do sex and race play in living or being ethically? Can ethics lead to ontology? Can literature play a role in ethical being? Drawing extensively on the work of Luce Irigaray, Frantz Fanon, and Martin Heidegger, Penelope Ingram argues that ethical questions must be understood in light of ontological ones. It is only when sexual and racial difference are viewed at an ontological level that ethics is truly possible. Central to the connection between ontology and ethics is the role of language. Ingram revisits the relationship between representation and matter in order to advance a theory of material signification. She examines a number of twentieth-century film and literary texts, including Neil Jordan's The Crying Game, J. M. Coetzee's Foe, Toni Morrison's Paradise, and Don DeLillo's The Body Artist, to demonstrate that material signification, rather than representation, is crucial to our experience of living authentically and achieving an ethical relation with the Other. By attending closely to Heidegger's, Irigaray's, and Fanon's positions on language, this original work argues that the literary text is indispensable to a \"revealing\" of the relationship between ontology and ethics, and through it, the reader can experience a state of \"authentic Being ethically.\"
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Signifying Body about?
How do we live ethically? What role do sex and race play in living or being ethically? Can ethics lead to ontology? Can literature play a role in ethical being? Drawing extensively on the work of Luce Irigaray, Frantz Fanon, and Martin Heidegger, Penelope Ingram argues that ethical questions must be understood in light of ontological ones. It is only when sexual and racial difference are viewed at an ontological level that ethics is truly possible. Central to the connection between ontology and ethics is the role of language. Ingram revisits the relationship between representation and matter in order to advance a theory of material signification. She examines a number of twentieth-century film and literary texts, including Neil Jordan's The Crying Game, J. M. Coetzee's Foe, Toni Morrison's Paradise, and Don DeLillo's The Body Artist, to demonstrate that material signification, rather than representation, is crucial to our experience of living authentically and achieving an ethical relation with the Other. By attending closely to Heidegger's, Irigaray's, and Fanon's positions on language, this original work argues that the literary text is indispensable to a \"revealing\" of the relationship between ontology and ethics, and through it, the reader can experience a state of \"authentic Being ethically.\"
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Signifying Body?
Philosophy and Religion > Philosophy > Topics in philosophy > Ethics and moral philosophy
Where can I read a sample of The Signifying Body?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780791474433
How long is The Signifying Body and how many pages does it have?
The Signifying Body has 190 page(s)
Is The Signifying Body part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series SUNY series in Gender Theory
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Signifying Body?
Penelope Ingram
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Signifying Body is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780791474433) and paperback(ISBN 9780791474440) and pdf(ISBN 9780791478370)
Where can I buy The Signifying Body online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy The Signifying Body?