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The Philosopher's Plant

An Intellectual Herbarium
3.78 goodreads logo

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( 32 ratings, 4 reviews)
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 Philosopher's Plant by Michael Marder explores the intersection of philosophy and botany, delving into how plants have influenced and inspired philosophical thought throughout history. The book examines the lives and works of renowned philosophers, using plants as metaphors and symbols to illustrate broader philosophical concepts. Marder encourages readers to rethink the relationship between humans and the natural world, highlighting the profound insights plants can offer in understanding human nature.
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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?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the intersection of philosophy and botany. It delves into how different philosophers have drawn inspiration from plants to shape their ideas, making it a captivating read for anyone interested in exploring a unique perspective on both the natural world and philosophical thought.

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A secret history of philosophy grafting theory onto science, combining art and storytelling to bring Western thought back to its roots.

A secret history of philosophy grafting theory onto science, combining art and storytelling to bring Western thought back to its roots

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

Despite their conceptual allergy to vegetal life, philosophers have used germination, growth, blossoming, fruition, reproduction, and decay as illustrations of abstract concepts; mentioned plants in passing as the natural backdrops for dialogues, letters, and other compositions; spun elaborate allegories out of flowers, trees, and even grass; and recommended appropriate medicinal, dietary, and aesthetic approaches to select species of plants.

In this book, Michael Marder illuminates the vegetal centerpieces and hidden kernels that have powered theoretical discourse for centuries. Choosing twelve botanical specimens that correspond to twelve significant philosophers, he recasts the development of philosophy through the evolution of human and plant relations. A philosophical history for the postmetaphysical age, The Philosopher's Plant reclaims the organic heritage of human thought.

With the help of vegetal images, examples, and metaphors, the book clears a path through philosophy's tangled roots and dense undergrowth, opening up the discipline to all readers.

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?

The Philosopher's Plant by Michael Marder is praised for its innovative exploration of the relationship between philosophy and plant life. Reviewers highlight Marder's unique deconstructive approach to understanding plants' importance within the philosophical canon, from Socrates to modern thinkers like Irigaray. The book is noted for offering fresh insights, enriched by humour and profound reflections, into how plants can influence human thought and culture.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780231169035

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 11 November 2014

Country: United States

Imprint: Columbia University Press

Illustration: 12 b&w

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Mathilde Roussel

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Michael Marder is IKERBASQUE Research Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of the Basque Country, UPV-EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz. He is the author of The Event of the Thing: Derrida's Post-Deconstructive Realism; Groundless Existence: The Political Ontology of Carl Schmitt; Plant-Thinking: A Philosophy of Vegetal Life; Phenomena-Critique-Logos: The Project of Critical Phenomenology; and the forthcoming Pyropolitics: When the World Is Ablaze. Mathilde Roussel is a French artist and sculptor who has taught and exhibited widely in the United States.

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