Being, living, thinking : metaphysics and philosophy as a way of life
This thesis examines the relationship between metaphysical theorisation and the practice of philosophy as a way of life. The thesis begins by highlighting the parallels between the Cartesian shift away from the premodern practice of philosophy as a way of life (what Foucault terms âthe Cartesian momentâ) and the ontological suspension of âlifeâ in Descartesâ influential re-conception of the soul as the principle of thinking instead of life and in his mechanistic understanding of living beings as automata. After this, it examines the works of Martin Heidegger, Heideggerâs former students Hannah Arendt and Giorgio Agamben, as well as Gilles Deleuze (and via Deleuze, Henri Bergson) and considers how the metaphysical theoretical conception of âbeingâ, âlivingâ and âthinkingâ informs and affects the practice of philosophy. The thesis concludes with a re-reading of Augustineâs philosophy of life in light of these contemporary philosophical developments. By underscoring the connections between Augustineâs metaphysical conception of God as âLife itselfâ and his philosophical practice of introspection as notably found in his Confessionsâone of the most important texts of Western metaphysics
Leung, King-Ho
B Philosophy (General)
Being, living, thinking : metaphysics and philosophy as a way of life. This thesis examines the relationship between metaphysical theorisation and the practice of philosophy as a way of life. The thesis begins by highlighting the parallels between the Cartesian shift away from the premodern practice of philosophy as a way of life (what Foucault terms âthe Cartesian momentâ) and the ontological suspension of âlifeâ in Descartesâ influential re-conception of the soul as the principle of thinking instead of life and in his mechanistic understanding of living beings as automata. After this, it examines the works of Martin Heidegger, Heideggerâs former students Hannah Arendt and Giorgio Agamben, as well as Gilles Deleuze (and via Deleuze, Henri Bergson) and considers how the metaphysical theoretical conception of âbeingâ, âlivingâ and âthinkingâ informs and affects the practice of philosophy. The thesis concludes with a re-reading of Augustineâs philosophy of life in light of these contemporary philosophical developments. By underscoring the connections between Augustineâs metaphysical conception of God as âLife itselfâ and his philosophical practice of introspection as notably found in his Confessionsâone of the most important texts of Western metaphysics
living think metaphysics_philosophy way_life examines_relationship metaphysical theorisation practice philosophy way_life begin highlight parallel cartesian shift_away premodern practice philosophy way_life foucault term cartesian moment ontological suspension life descartes influential conception soul principle think instead life mechanistic living being examines work_martin_heidegger heidegger former student giorgio_agamben well gilles_deleuze via deleuze henri_bergson consider metaphysical theoretical conception live think informs affect practice philosophy concludes reading augustine philosophy life light_contemporary philosophical development connection augustine metaphysical conception god life philosophical practice introspection notably find one_important text western metaphysics