Music occupies a special place in George Steiner’s thinking: “Three areas: the essence and name of God, higher mathematics and music (what is the connection between them?) are located at the limits of language” (Steiner, Errata). The seemingly rhetorical question in parentheses turns out to be a source of deep controversy, the essence of which is revealed in historical-genealogical reflection. Steiner attempts to incorporate Romantic metaphysics within the traditional scholastic symbiosis of Biblical creationism and Pythagoreanism, which reveals his philosophy (...) of music to be entangled in a range of contradictions. On the one hand, a critical reading of Steiner's works uncovers the difficulties posed by the attempt to reconcile pre- and post-Enlightenment culture; on the other hand, the still unused opportunities offered by Romanticism and its modernist continuations are clearly visible. Musical aesthetics, rooted in the idea of infinity, plays a crucial role in these divagations. (shrink)

“We have no more beginnings,” George Steiner begins in this, his most radical book to date. A far-reaching exploration of the idea of creation in Western thought, literature, religion, and history, this volume can fairly be called a magnum opus. He reflects on the different ways we have of talking about beginnings, on the “core-tiredness” that pervades our end-of-the-millennium spirit, and on the changing grammar of our discussions about the end of Western art and culture. With his well-known elegance (...) of style and intellectual range, Steiner probes deeply into the driving forces of the human spirit and our perception of Western civilization’s lengthening afternoon shadows. Roaming across topics as diverse as the Hebrew Bible, the history of science and mathematics, the ontology of Heidegger, and the poetry of Paul Celan, Steiner examines how the twentieth century has placed in doubt the rationale and credibility of a future tense—the existence of hope. Acknowledging that technology and science may have replaced art and literature as the driving forces in our culture, Steiner warns that this has not happened without a significant loss. The forces of technology and science alone fail to illuminate inevitable human questions regarding value, faith, and meaning. And yet it is difficult to believe that the story out of Genesis has ended, Steiner observes, and he concludes this masterful volume of reflections with an eloquent evocation of the endlessness of beginnings. (shrink)

Nous remercions le professeur George Steiner de nous avoir autorisés à reproduire le texte d’une brillante conférence (en français). Le problème qui l’attire dans ce texte, qui remonte aux années dominées par le travail « post-babélien », est la place, la fonction et la portée du futur dans l’horizon linguistique. L’analyse du mot anglais si particulier privacy est une remarquable illustration des thèses présentées.

An edited version of a talk between Urban and Toynbee on Radio Free Europe. The book concerns the nature of history as well as discussing Marxism and Christianity, the third world, and the effects of technology.

Can there be major dimensions of a poem, a painting, a musical composition created in the absence of God? Or, is God always a real presence in the arts? Steiner passionately argues that a transcendent reality grounds all genuine art and human communication. "A real tour de force.... All the virtues of the author's astounding intelligence and compelling rhetoric are evident from the first sentence onward."—Anthony C. Yu, _Journal of Religion_.

Heidegger pertenece a la historia del lenguaje y de la literatura tanto como a la de la ontolog a, de la epistemolog a fenomenol gica o de la est tica (tal vez ...

But the charged personal encounter between master and disciple is precisely what interests George Steiner in this book, a sustained reflection on the infinitely ...

With characteristic lucidity and style, Steiner makes Heidegger's immensely difficult body of work accessible to the general reader. In a new introduction, Steiner addresses language and philosophy and the rise of Nazism. "It would be hard to imagine a better introduction to the work of philosopher Martin Heidegger."--George Kateb, The New Republic.

Philosophy Then and Now provides an innovative and engaging blend of introductory text with classic and contemporary readings. Each of the eight parts begins with an introductory section on the major ideas associated with a seminal figure from the history of philosophy. This is followed by key selections from the essential writings of that philosopher, as well as influential selections from contemporary figures. Key figures covered include: Socrates, Aquinas, Locke, Descartes, Mill, Nietzsche, Marx, and Sartre. By focusing on the core (...) themes, issues and problems of philosophy, the volume motivates student interest in the subject, and represents a distinctive text for all introductory courses in philosophy. (shrink)

Author: Herbut Józef Title: DIRECTIONS AND PROBLEMS IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION (Filozofia religii: jej problematyka i jej odmiany) Source: Filo-Sofija year: 2011, vol:.15, number: 2011/4, pages: 911-917 Keywords: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION, ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION, PHENOMENOLOGY OF RELIGION, DEFINITION OF RELIGION, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE Discipline: PHILOSOPHY Language: POLISH Document type: ARTICLE Publication order reference (Primary author’s office address): E-mail: www:The main task of the philosophy of religion is to adequately define the concept of religion – it should (...) be comprehensive enough to cover all historically known forms of religion and restrictive enough to exclude any other cultural forms which are only similar to religion. How we understand the nature of religious beliefs (their propositional, volitional and emotional content) determines the method of philosophizing about religion. The religious doctrine plays a decisive role in religion, in one way or another motivating and justifying moral norms and worship practices. Traditionally oriented philosophers of religion have been chiefly interested in reasons for accepting a religious doctrine and in metaphysical problems; analytical philosophy of religion has brought into focus the semiotics of religious propositions. (shrink)

Jedyną, bezwzględnie dobrą rzeczą jest dobra wola. Jedyną rzeczą wartą zachodu, której od człowieka można oczekiwać, jest wysiłek podjęcia wszelkich starań, służących rozwinięciu predyspozycji do dobra, zawartych w ludzkiej naturze. Jedyną prawdziwą religią jest wiara moralna rozumiana jako „niezbędne zaufanie w Boską pomoc ze względu na wszel­kie dobro, które przy naszych najuczciwszych staraniach nie jest jednak w naszej mocy". Z pewnością jest wiele powodów, jakie usprawiedliwiają narzekania na jednostronność Kaniowskiej filozofii religii. Nie ulega jednak wątpliwości, że odrodzenie moralne człowieka nie (...) jest dla religii zadaniem marginalnym. Według Kanta jest to jedyne istotne zadanie religii, które, jak wierzą chrześcijanie, zostało pierwotnie zrealizowane w osobie Jezu­sa z Nazaretu. Czy chrześcijaństwo poniosłoby szkodę, gdyby uznać je za zadanie jedyne; czy uchybilibyśmy mu, uznając, że podczas realizacji tego zadania nie trzeba pokładać zaufania w - zawsze przecież wątpliwym - hi­storycznym objawieniu?Większa część refleksji na temat religii w pismach Kanta ma charakter czysto negatywny. Krytyka dowodów na istnienie Boga, polemika z trady­cyjnymi sposobami uprawiania spekulacji metafizycznej czy dyskusja na te­mat prawa do wypowiadania się w sprawach religii i interpretacji Pisma św. służą tylko dostarczeniu miejsca dla wiary moralnej. Kant konsekwentnie pokazuje, czym religia nie jest, i równie uporczywie powtarza, czym powinna być. Bez wątpienia w wielu wątkach filozofia re­ligii Immanuela Kanta jest kontynuacją oświeceniowej refleksji nad religią, choć na tle epoki zajmuje pozycję szczególną - w pismach królewieckiego filozofa koncentrują się bowiem najważniejsze problemy filozofii religii, uzyskując klasyczne rozwiązania. (shrink)

From ancient times, western civilization has been driven by a trust in scientific progress. Is Science Biology and biogenetics promise spectacular advances, mathematics unfolds new areas of understanding. This work explores some of the possible consequences for society and for the future of science itself.".

Can there be major dimensions of a poem, a painting, a musical composition created in the absence of God? Or, is God always a real presence in the arts? Steiner passionately argues that a transcendent reality grounds all genuine art and human communication.

A polymath and author of dozens of books including The Death of Tragedy, After Babel and In Bluebeard's Castle examines two thousand years of Western culture, philosophy and literature and discusses how great thought and great style are ...

George Steiner famously declared that, after Babel, all understanding is translating. Poetry and philosophy turn out to pose the challenge of untranslatability. In my paper, I map out the complex intertwining of translation and hermeneutics, including the interplay of interpretation. Moving from Steiner’s fidelity cycle to Ricœurs linguistic hospitality, a shift of accent from the concepts of difference, identity and universality towards distance and encounter can be observed. With regard to translation as metaphor, understanding metaphor, the necessity of reflecting (...) upon one’s own language is taken into account. To challenge untranslatabilities and rethink the ‘living’ aspect of translation Jullien’s divergence into the possible polarity of reliability and sincerity proposes an opening. (shrink)