Theory of Religion

Name: Theory of Religion
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SKU: 9780942299090
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By Georges Bataille

Series: Theory of Religion

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Summary

Theory of Religion offers a profound philosophical analysis of religion through the lens of excess and expenditure. Georges Bataille interprets religion as various human attempts to engage with the universe's boundless generosity, framed within his theory of generalized economics and rooted in the study of archaic religious practices. This work, alongside The Accursed Share, represents a crucial expression of Bataille's intellectual legacy.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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Theory of Religion

$74⁹⁹

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 is ideal for readers interested in philosophy, religious studies, anthropology, and critical theory, particularly those exploring the intersections of economics, ritual, and society.

Theory of Religion, along with its companion volumes of The Accursed Share, forms the cornerstone of Bataille's "Copernican" project to overturn not only economic thought but its ethical foundations as well.

"According to Bataille, religion is the search for a lost intimacy.' Bataille's discussion of this claim moves from the complete immanence of animality to the shattered world of objects and then to the partial recovery of intimacy and immanence through sacrifice. More ominous, Bataille argues that not only was the archaic festival an affirmation of life through destructive consumption, but it also sowed the seeds of war. The book concludes with a discussion of the rise of the modern military order and the origins of modern capitalism. The argument here is wide-ranging and significant. Ethics

Description

Theory of Religion brings to philosophy what Bataille's earlier book, The Accursed Share, brought to anthropology and history; namely, an analysis based on notions of excess and expenditure. Bataille brilliantly defines religion as so many different attempts to respond to the universe's relentless generosity.

Framed within his original theory of generalized economics and based on his masterly reading of archaic religious activity, Theory of Religion constitutes, along with The Accursed Share, the most important articulation of Bataille's work.

Georges Bataille (1897-1962), founder of the French review Critique, wrote fiction and essays on a wide range of topics. His books in English translation include Story of the Eye, Blue of Noon, Literature and Evil, Manet, and Erotism.

Robert Hurley is the translator of The History of Sexuality by Michel Foucault and co-translator of Anti Oedipus by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari.

Distributed for Zone Books.

Series: Theory of Religion

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Theory of Religion

By Georges Bataille

Paperback

$74⁹⁹

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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?

Critics highlight Bataille's compelling idea that religion emerges as a search for lost intimacy. The book explores themes from primal animal existence to fragmented modern realities, emphasising the role of sacrifice and ritual in reconnecting with immanence. It also discusses how archaic festivals linked life affirmation with destructive consumption, thereby planting the seeds for war, while concluding with insights into the rise of military and capitalist modernity.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780942299090

Publisher: Zone Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 09 January 1992

Country: United States

Imprint: Zone Books

Contributors:

Translated by Robert Hurley

Audience: Tertiary education

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 13.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 224.0mm

Weight: 249g

Pages: 128

Collections

Georges Bataille Health & Wellness Non-Fiction Religion & Spirituality Series: Theory of Religion

About the Author

Georges Bataille (1897-1962) was a French writer, essayist, and philosopher whose works include The Story of the Eye, The Blue of Noon, The Accursed Share, and Theory of Religion.