Fleeing the Universal: The Critique of Post-Rational Criticism

SUNY Series: Intersections: Philosophy and Critical Theory

by Carl Rapp

Fleeing the Universal takes issue with the popular view that contemporary literary and cultural theory has brilliantly effected, or at least brilliantly reported, the demise of philosophy and the emergence of a new post-philosophical culture. It offers a critique of the various options presented by post-rational critics and theorists and, at the same time, argues for the superiority of speculative philosophy to all these options. Further, it demonstrates that the chief problems with post-rationalism were already seen, before our time, by two speculative philosophers, Hegel and Santayana, both of whose systems of philosophy are primarily intended to avoid the problems that beset the critique of reason.

Fleeing the Universal criticizes the arguments and methods of deconstruction, the new pragmatism, and New Historicism, and suggests that the alternatives to post-philosophy developed by Hegel in the early nineteenth century and by Santayana in the early twentieth century have not been superseded by any theory associated with the culture of postmodernism or the analytical techniques of poststructuralism.

Genres: Philosophy

297 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

Reviews

[Alexander Asay · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Fleeing the Universal: The Critique of Post-Rational Criticism, Rapp undertakes a meticulous examination of contemporary literary and cultural theory, challenging the widely held belief that these fields have moved beyond traditional philosophical inquiry into a new era of post-rational thought.

Rapp's work primarily targets three major movements: deconstruction, new pragmatism, and New Historicism, arguing that these approaches, while influential, have not truly transcended the philosophical foundations they claim to critique. He suggests that the issues with post-rationalism were already identified by earlier speculative philosophers like Hegel and Santayana, whose works provide a more robust framework for understanding these cultural phenomena.

The book is structured with a clear intent to dismantle the arguments of post-rational critics, methodically analyzing their methodologies and conclusions. Rapp proposes that speculative philosophy, rather than being outdated, offers a superior lens through which to view literary and cultural texts, providing a continuity with philosophical traditions rather than a break from them.

Rapp's writing style is analytical and precise, making his critique accessible yet intellectually engaging. He does not shy away from the complexity of the subject matter but presents his arguments in a way that invites readers familiar with literary theory and philosophy to reconsider their assumptions about the trajectory of cultural criticism.

Fleeing the Universal is particularly relevant for scholars and students in the fields of literary theory, philosophy, and cultural studies, offering a counter-narrative to the dominant trends in academic discourse. It pushes for a reevaluation of how we approach texts in light of philosophical inquiry, challenging the notion that philosophy has been left behind in contemporary theory.