Most philosophy has rejected the theater, denouncing it as a place
of illusion or moral decay; the theater in turn has rejected
philosophy, insisting that drama deals in actions, not ideas.
Challenging both views, The Drama of Ideas shows that theater and
philosophy have been crucially intertwined from the start.
Plato is the presiding genius of this alternative history. The
Drama of Ideas presents Plato not only as a theorist of drama, but
also as a dramatist himself, one who developed a dialogue-based
dramaturgy that differs markedly from the standard, Aristotelian
view of theater. Puchner discovers scores of dramatic adaptations
of Platonic dialogues, the most immediate proof of Plato's hitherto
unrecognized influence on theater history. Drawing on these
adaptations, Puchner shows that Plato was central to modern drama
as well, with figures such as Wilde, Shaw, Pirandello, Brecht, and
Stoppard using Plato to create a new drama of ideas. Puchner then
considers complementary developments in philosophy, offering a
theatrical history of philosophy that includes Kierkegaard,
Nietzsche, Burke, Sartre, Camus, and Deleuze. These philosophers
proceed with constant reference to theater, using theatrical terms,
concepts, and even dramatic techniques in their writings.
The Drama of Ideas mobilizes this double history of philosophical
theater and theatrical philosophy to subject current habits of
thought to critical scrutiny. In dialogue with contemporary
thinkers such as Martha Nussbaum, Iris Murdoch, and Alain Badiou,
Puchner formulates the contours of a "dramatic Platonism." This new
Platonism does not seek to return to an idealist theory of forms,
but it does point beyond the reigning philosophies of the body, of
materialism and of cultural relativism.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
