Givenness and conceptual content: Walter Benjamin’s alternative (eidos and concept in Walter Benjamin)

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

23 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Although he is usually understood to be an immanent critic who belongs (albeit perhaps only tangentially) to the first generation of the Frankfurt School, Walter Benjamin’s thought is much more heterodox than typically acknowledged. In this paper, I draw attention to one of Benjamin’s most heterodox tendencies. I show that Benjamin problematizes on the animating idea of immanent critique, i.e., that one can move from an object given in experience to the implicit concept of that object in order to assess the fit between concept and object. Benjamin develops his objection to this idea in his 1916 response paper “Eidos und Begriff.” In it he criticizes P. F. Linke’s account of givenness by showing that what is given in experience and what is essential to it are not identical. What is essential to first order experience, moreover, is quite distinct to what is essential for discursively structured reflection. And hence one cannot unproblematically move from what is given in experience to the concepts underwriting it. This leads Benjamin to develop a pragmatic and expressive alternative to semantic ascent, and hence to immanent critique.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the XXIII World Congress of Philosophy: Philosophy as Inquiry and Way of Life
PublisherPhilosophy Documentation Center
Pages57-63
Number of pages6
Volume34
ISBN (Electronic)9781634350389
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01 Jan 2018
Externally publishedYes
EventXXIII World Congress of Philosophy - Athens, Greece
Duration: 04 Aug 201310 Aug 2013

Publication series

NameProceedings of the World Congress of Philosophy

Conference

ConferenceXXIII World Congress of Philosophy
Country/TerritoryGreece
CityAthens
Period04/08/201310/08/2013

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Givenness and conceptual content: Walter Benjamin’s alternative (eidos and concept in Walter Benjamin)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this