Michael Finkenthal - Böcker

Complexity, Multi-Disciplinarity, and Beyond addresses the issue of complexity mainly in the fields of humanities and social sciences. It is a continuation of Interdisciplinarity: Toward the Definition of a Metadiscipline? (Lang, 2001) in which the main question is related to the role of interdisciplinarity and disciplinarian thinking in confronting complexity in general. The present book focuses on complexity in the humanities but also revisits some of the ideas brought forth in Interdisciplinarity, concerning the limitations of disciplinarian thinking and interdisciplinarity in their confrontations with complexity. The development of conceptual tools, as well as theories and models for complexity outside the realm of «hard» sciences, is still in its infancy. Nevertheless, it is essential to learn to cope with complexity, and every effort in this area must be encouraged.

In Lev Shestov: Existential Philosopher and Religious Thinker, Michael Finkenthal explores the evolution of Lev Shestov’s philosophical and religious intellectual contributions. The hermeneutical effort is mainly based on the Shestovian oeuvre, but his thought is considered in light of existential philosophies in their evolution from Pascal, Nietzsche, and Kierkegaard to those of the twentieth century. Shestov’s «deconstruction» of philosophy is discussed parallel to the analysis of the formation of his religious thought and its relevancy in the context of efforts by Buber, Rosenzweig, and Levinas to redefine Judaism.

Benjamin Fondane: A Poet-Philosopher Caught Between the Sunday of History and the Existential Monday examines the life and work of Benjamin Fondane, a poet and a literary critic, a philosopher and a playwright, who wrote film scripts and worked as a director on the stage as well as in films. In addition, Fondane was active in two cultures, the Romanian and the French. His existential philosophy is highly relevant to the domain of contemporary Jewish thought, and his literary activities are linked to the twentieth-century European avant-garde. This book discusses all of these topics and provides background for the Romanian and French cultural scene of the period as well as locating the writer within the context of the dramatic events of the twentieth century.