Images of the Present Time

Alain Badiou began the twenty-first century by considering the relationship between philosophy and notions of "the present." In this period of his ongoing annual lecture series, the acclaimed philosopher took up the existential problem of how to be contemporary with one's own time, bringing a real present into existence. Images of the Present Time presents nearly three years of Badious seminars, held from 2001 to 2004, partly against the backdrop of the war in Iraq. He proposes a new concept of living in a real present as the twisting together of something from the past and something of the future.

Format: Hardback
Length: 472 pages
Publication date: 27 December 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Alain Badiou embarked on the twenty-first century by delving into the intricate relationship between philosophy and notions of "the present." During this period, Badiou continued his renowned annual lecture series, where he explored the existential challenge of being contemporaneous with one's own time—that is, how to transcend mere existence in a fleeting moment and bring forth a genuine present into existence.

Images of the Present Time offers a captivating glimpse into nearly three years of Badious seminars, held from 2001 to 2004, amidst the backdrop of the war in Iraq. These lectures, delivered while Badiou was engrossed in writing Logics of Worlds, the second installment of his trilogy Being and Event, address some of the same profound questions of existence within a specific world, albeit in a more personal and conversational tone. Drawing upon literature, philosophy, contemporary politics, and culture, Badiou offers a novel concept of living in a truly present moment as the harmonious fusion of something from the past and something from the future.

Featuring some of Badiou's most inspiring and accessible work, Images of the Present Time serves as an essential resource for all readers seeking to explore the practical and conceptual dimensions of Badious thought. This book offers a profound exploration of the possibilities for living in the present, urging readers to embrace the richness of history and the promise of the future while cultivating a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Dimension: 216 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231176064