Camus, Philosophe: To Return to our Beginnings by Matthew Sharpe

BOOK LAUNCH IN PRESENCE OF THE AUTHOR

Camus, Philosophe : To Return to our Beginnings
Dr Matthew Sharpe, Deakin University

Wednesday 30 September, 6.30pm
At Alliance Francaise de Melbourne,
51 Grey Street ST KILDA VIC 3182.

Presentation by Dr Geoffrey Boucher (author of Adorno Reframed and other studies) followed by a Q&A session with the author, Dr Matthew Sharpe and book signing.
Talk in English |  Admission Free, booking is essential as places are limited.
 

About the book:

Camus, Philosophe: To Return to our Beginnings is the first book on Camus to read Camus in light of, and critical dialogue with, subsequent French and European philosophy.
It argues that, while not an academic philosopher, Albert Camus was a philosophe in more profound senses looking back to classical precedents, and the engaged French lumières of the 18th century.

Aiming his essays and literary writings at the wider reading public, Camus’ criticism of the forms of ‘political theology’ enshrined in fascist and Stalinist regimes singles him out markedly from more recent theological and messianic turns in French thought.

His defense of classical thought, turning around the notions of natural beauty, a limit, and mesure makes him a singularly relevant figure given today’s continuing debates about climate change, as well as the way forward for the post-Marxian Left.
 

About Albert Camus:

Albert Camus was a French Nobel Prize winning author, journalist, and philosopher. His views contributed to the rise of the philosophy known as absurdism. However, Camus regretted the continued reference to himself as a "philosopher of the absurd". Throughout his life, Camus spoke out against and actively opposed totalitarianism in its many forms.
 

About Dr Matthew Sharpe:

Dr Matthew Sharpe teaches philosophy at Deakin University, where he is co-convenor  of the European Philosophy and History of Ideas research network.  He has always loved  Camus, and has since 2002 published many articles on his thought and writing.
Camus, Philosophe represents a culmination of two decades of more formal research on  Camus, in engagement with more recent French thought, beginning with his Honors thesis  way back in 1998.
The book also reflects his love of classical philosophy, and the work of many of its earlier modern French legatees led by Montaigne and Voltaire.

About Dr Geoffrey Boucher:

Dr Geoffrey Boucher is Senior Lecturer in Literary Studies and Psychoanalytic Studies at Deakin University. He works across continental philosophy, social theory and literary studies to investigate the constructive role of cultural innovation, especially in literary works, in the public sphere and in the cultural underpinning of democratic politics. His work includes research into psychoanalytic theory, particularly Lacanian psychoanalysis, and critical theories of society developed by the Frankfurt School and its associates.  He is currently researching and writing on: psychoanalytic interpretations of Renaissance drama, especially Shakespeare, scandalous literature and cultural renewal, and the role of fantasy literature in the enculturation of young women.