Perjury and Pardon, Volume I
Jacques Derrida author David Wills translator Ginette Michaud editor Nicholas Cotton editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:The University of Chicago Press
Published:2nd Dec '22
Should be back in stock very soon
An inquiry into the problematic of perjury, or lying, and forgiveness from one of the most influential philosophers of the twentieth century.
“One only ever asks forgiveness for what is unforgivable.” From this contradiction begins Perjury and Pardon, a two-year series of seminars given by Jacques Derrida at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales in Paris in the late 1990s. In these sessions, Derrida focuses on the philosophical, ethical, juridical, and political stakes of the concept of responsibility. His primary goal is to develop what he calls a “problematic of lying” by studying diverse forms of betrayal: infidelity, denial, false testimony, perjury, unkept promises, desecration, sacrilege, and blasphemy.
Although forgiveness is a notion inherited from multiple traditions, the process of forgiveness eludes those traditions, disturbing the categories of knowledge, sense, history, and law that attempt to circumscribe it. Derrida insists on the unconditionality of forgiveness and shows how its complex temporality destabilizes all ideas of presence and even of subjecthood. For Derrida, forgiveness cannot be reduced to repentance, punishment, retribution, or salvation, and it is inseparable from, and haunted by, the notion of perjury. Through close readings of Kant, Kierkegaard, Shakespeare, Plato, Jankélévitch, Baudelaire, and Kafka, as well as biblical texts, Derrida explores diverse notions of the “evil” or malignancy of lying while developing a complex account of forgiveness across different traditions.
“For those readers who are familiar with Derrida’s most famous work and are curious about his deconstructive ethics and have not read any of the essays drawn from this book, this is a good place to approach the topic. . . . Even if one has read one or more of the published portions, if one is unsure how they fit together, these lectures will allow one to see how they cohere. . . . The translation is superb and the editorial work is excellent.” * The Review of Metaphysics *
"While much has been written about Derrida’s discussions of forgiveness, much less has been said about his approach to perjury. . . . These two volumes are a valuable addition to the ongoing project of publishing Derrida's work in English. They will be especially valuable to scholars of ethics, general philosophy, and legal studies." * Choice *
"This volume is for strong humanities and philosophy collections." * Library Journal *
"In the two decades since Perjury and Pardon was written, the questions raised by Derrida’s prescient probing of the puzzling paradoxes of forgiveness have become even more urgent. During a time of unrepentant rage and specious pardons, what does it mean to forgive? Does anyone deserve forgiveness? Should the unforgivable be forgiven? Is it possible to live together without forgiveness? As we struggle to answer these critical questions, Derrida’s guiding insight is important today more than ever." -- Mark C. Taylor, Columbia University
"These rich stimulating lectures are classic Derrida and in David Wills's superb translation wonderfully accessible. This is a great example of Derrida the educator introducing his audience to some of the most difficult issues of our time." -- Robert Bernasconi, Penn State University
“Perjury and Pardon presents an expansive vision of responsibility with the supreme clarity and profound rigor that mark Derrida’s style as a formidable teacher across geographical and academic boundaries. Wills's unique interpretative skills have resulted in yet another unsurpassed translation of Derrida's breathtaking thought and legacy.” -- Hent de Vries, New York University
ISBN: 9780226819174
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 33mm
Weight: 540g
368 pages