Introduction to the Special Issue: The Emergency of Philosophy

Abstract

Yet from where does of future of come? Must not itself-in act of beginning-first awaken this emergency? Such stands on this side of misery and grief, which always roam merely in some corner of established beings and of their truth.-M. Heidegger, Contributions to Philosophy (Of Event), 1936-1938In order to introduce this special issue of Philosophy Today I would like to start by pointing out how German terms Ausnahmezustand and Notlosigkeit have often, although not exclusively, been translated as or of emergency. While first term is central in Carl Schmitt's state of theory,1 second has acquired significant meaning in Martin Heidegger's later thought on of emergency.2 Ever since publication of Giorgio Agamben's State of Exception3 and Richard Polt's Emergency of Being, Ausnahmezustand and Notlosigkeit have become synonymous not only for several contemporary philosophers but also for political theorists and literary critics who have contributed to this volume. Their common translation is crux of this volume not because contributors engage Schmitt's and Heidegger's thought but because they disengage from it.As Tracy B. Strong explains in his brilliant foreword to English translation of Schmitt's Political Theology, a dictionary will tell you that Ausnahmezustand means state of but idea of a state of has of a legal connotation, and is more confined than an 'exception.' This is why the is part of 'order' even if that order is not precisely juridical.4 A similar argument can be made for Notlosigkeit. While a dictionary will tell us Notlosigkeit means of notion of distress has more of a psychological connotation and seems more confined than emergency.Schwab translated Soveran ist, wer uber den Ausnahmezustand entscheidet as Sovereign is he who decides on exceptional case.5 Harry Zohn, who undertook translation of Benjamin's Theses on Philosophy of History, rendered Die Tradition der Unterdruckten belehrt uns daruber, das der 'Ausnahmezustand,' in dem wir leben, die Regel ist as The tradition of oppressed teaches us that 'state of emergency' in which we live is not but rule.6 Agamben, who relies heavily on both Schmitt and Benjamin, has used equivalent in Italian of state of (stato di eccezione).7 Heidegger's Woher die Notlosigkeit als die hochste Not?8 has been translated as Whence Lack of Distress as Utmost Distress?9 or Whence lack of a sense of plight as greatest plight?10 and paraphrased as, How can of itself become an emergency?11As we can see, while translators of Schmitt, Benjamin, and Agamben used both state of and state of to translate Ausnahmezustand, Heidegger's translators opted for of of and absence of to translate Notlosigkeit. When a word is translated in various forms, it does not mean that one translator made a mistake but rather that they have all interpreted and understood differently. As Hans-Georg Gadamer used to say, We understand only when we understand differently, that is, through altering generally accepted meanings. This is why difference between exception and has a lot to do with particular use that Schmitt, Benjamin, and Agamben made of Ausnahmezustand in relation to problem of sovereignty. same occurs with Notlosigkeit. In order to choose among distress, plight, and emergency, one must interpret Heidegger's Notlosigkeit in terms of Being's abandonment.This brief discourse on translations of Ausnahmezustand and Notlosigkeit was not meant to dispute which one is closer to original meaning in German but rather to point out how emergency of philosophy that this volume refers to is a result of both. …