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The One

Descartes, Plato, Kant
By Alain Badiou
Series: The Seminars of Alain Badiou
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The One by Alain Badiou delves into the philosophical exploration of the concept of unity and oneness. Badiou investigates how the idea of the "one" underpins the constructs of identity, existence, and truth, challenging readers to reflect on how singularity is understood within the realms of philosophy and psychology. This book presents a complex examination of how philosophical inquiry engages with the universal notion of what it means to be "one."
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Format: Hardback
$6699
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're interested in exploring philosophical concepts around unity and multiplicity, specifically the idea of "the one" in relation to being and existence. Alain Badiou delves into deep metaphysical questions with a unique and engaging perspective, making it a fascinating read for those intrigued by philosophical and psychological explorations.

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The One

Alain Badiou’s 1983–1984 lecture series focuses on the philosophical concept of oneness in the works of Descartes, Plato, and Kant—a crucial foil for his signature metaphysical concept, the multiple.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Alain Badiou's 1983–1984 lecture series on "the One" is the earliest of his seminars that he has chosen to publish. It focuses on the philosophical concept of oneness in the works of Descartes, Plato, and Kant—a crucial foil for his signature metaphysical concept, the multiple. Badiou declares that there is no "One": there is no fundamental unit of being; being is inherently multiple.

What is novel in Badiou's view of multiplicity is his reliance on mathematics, and set theory in particular. A set is a collection of things—yet, as he observes, it often is taken to "count as one" operationally for the purposes of mathematical transformations. In this seminar, distinguishing between "the One" and "counting as one" emerges as essential to Badiou's ontological project. His analysis of reflections on oneness in Descartes, Plato, and Kant prefigures core arguments of his defining work, Being and Event.

Showcasing the seeds of Badiou's key ideas and later thought, The One features singular readings, breathtaking theorizations, and frequently astonishing offhand remarks.

Series: The Seminars of Alain Badiou

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

This work by Alain Badiou is praised for providing valuable insights into the evolution of his philosophy through his seminars. The book is commended for its in-depth analysis of the concept of the One and its distinctions, with interpretations of philosophers like Descartes, Plato, and Kant. It serves as a compelling introduction to Badiou's foundational ideas and offers a space for conceptual experimentation and critique of contemporary ideology, illustrating the power and significance of Badiou’s philosophical methods.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780231194129

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 04 July 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: Columbia University Press

Contributors:

  • Translated by Susan Spitzer
  • Introduction by Kenneth Reinhard
  • Translated by Jacques Lezra
  • Translated by Susan Spitzer
  • Introduction by Kenneth Reinhard

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 288

Collections

Alain Badiou Non-Fiction Philosophy & Psychology Philosophy & Stoicism Series: The Seminars of Alain Badiou

About the Author

Alain Badiou is emeritus professor of philosophy at the École normale supérieure in Paris. His seminars published by Columbia University Press include Lacan (2018), Malebranche (2019), and Images of the Present Time (2023).

Jacques Lezra is professor and chair of Hispanic studies at the University of California, Riverside.

Susan Spitzer is a frequent translator of Badiou’s works.

Kenneth Reinhard is research professor of comparative literature and English at the University of California, Los Angeles.

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