Theory of Strangers - by François Laruelle (Hardcover)

About the Book

A keystone work within Laruelle's body of work, which highlights major themes around democracy, human identity and the critique of the judgement of humanity.

Book Synopsis

Originally published in 1995, this book constitutes a turning point in the development of what François Laruelle calls non-philosophy, towards its democratic and emancipatory vision. In this work, Laruelle utilises his non-philosophical theory to develop unified theoretical analyses into philosophy's relationship with the humanities, politics and psychoanalysis.

Centred on the figure of the Stranger, he argues for a democratic reformation of thought governed by human multitudes. The new field of thought is opened by this Universal Humanity, identified with three different pathways: a science of people and non-humanism, democracy and non-politics, and non-psychoanalysis as the development of a Universal Unconscious.

Review Quotes

A cornerstone for Laruelle's non-standard philosophy, Theory of Strangers marks crucial interventions in current psychoanalysis, ethics, politics, and the human sciences. Jeremy R. Smith's precise and knowledgeable translation brings Laruelle's challenging and microscopically inventive text alive in English, giving new breath and spark to settled theory.--Rocco Gangle, Endicott College

At last, this key text by Laruelle has been made available to English language readers in this fine translation by Jeremy R. Smith. We, the strangers of non-philosophy, will be forever in his debt.--Jonathan Fardy, Idaho State University