In current discussion among feminists in general and feminist theologians in particular the status of theory, especially concerning essentialism and foundationalism, is a critical question. This study examines the issues pertaining to this question through reference to Nancy Fraser and Linda Nicholson, Susan Thistlethwaite, Sheila Davaney, Rebecca Chopp, and Morny Joy. / In order to situate this critical question and its implications for feminist theology, the work of the Italian philosopher Gianni Vattimo (1936-$ ...)$ is explored. Vattimo's work is analyzed in relation to three central aspects of his thought: Vattimo's genuine interpretation of the relation of Martin Heidegger to Friedrich Nietzsche, Vattimo's own approach to nihilism, Vattimo's interpretation of Heidegger's notion of ontological difference compared to Jacques Derrida's differance. / Questions of gender and of sexual difference are rarely addressed by Vattimo. Vattimo's silence on these questions is queried with the help of the work of Carol Bigwood, a Heideggerean ecofeminist, and through the writings of Derrida on sexual diffcrence. It is argued that Vattimo implicitly understands sexual difference in terms of emancipation emerging today in communication technology and the mass media. The link between sexual difference and technology is related to the work of Donna Haraway to indicate some features of today's feminism with regard to technology. / Vattimo's philosophical perspective is related to questions of feminist theology through Heidegger's notion of Verwindung understood by Vattimo as closely related to secularization and the biblical notion of kenosis. This study concludes with an analysis and a critique of the work of Rebecca Chopp, Sallie McFague, and Rosemary Radford Ruether, and it emphasizes the secularizing, kenotic dimension of their thought as the most promising approach to central issues of today's feminism.

When examining the art, actions, and writings of Zurich Dadaists it becomes apparent that there is an affinity with Eastern thought, namely Taoism and Zen Buddhism. It cannot be said that Eastern thought directly influenced the artistic production of these Dadaists. However, the philosophy of Dada artists in Zurich mirrors that of Taoism and Zen so strongly that this connection cannot be ignored, although the Western art historical cannon has done just that. Exploring this connection offers a new perspective of Zurich Dada and encourages a reconsideration of the commonly applied label of nihilism to this group of Dadaists.

This thesis attempts to illuminate new approaches to the thought of Jean Baudrillard, by understanding his unique phenomenological approach and radical affirmation of experience. This will be considered through an exploration of some interesting distinctions between his work and Friedrich Nietzsche’s. Where Nietzsche attempts to fall out of exchange with the world, it will be found that Baudrillard’s work is attempting to enact a kind of tension with things. This aspect of Baudrillard’s work will be examined through some interesting connections to the later work of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, specifically through the concept of reversibility. These connections and distinctions will gather in some important insights on Baudrillard’s approach to the topics of void, the hyperreal and relationality. Moreover, through exploring the intricacies of his phenomenological approach, I hope to understand more clearly what it means to sink into appearances, and to locate the subject wholly within the tensions of relations and forces enigmatic to it. / Graduate

In "Badiou, Political Nihilism, and a Small-Scale Solution", I argue that Badious presentation of politics, exclusively on a large scale that of the nation-state betrays his underlying set-theoretic ontology. The consequence of presenting politics on this scale is that political events, opportunities for genuine political engagement, are extremely rare. This leaves potential political actors with little reason to believe they will have the opportunity to engage in politics. The absence of meaningful engagement, along with Badious unique conception of truth, gives rise to the problem of political nihilism. But, just as sets are both composed of sets and couched within others, situations too should be viewed as scalable. Re-presenting politics on a multiplicity of scales overcomes the worry about nihilism, while better capturing the real complexity and texture of political commitments.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio University, June, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisors : Dr. Karen L. Laughlin and Dr. Mark Garrett Cooper, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of English. Title and description from dissertation home page (June 14, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 193 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (DD(Dogmat.))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 201-249).

Habilitationsschrift--Marburg. / Bibliography: p. 550-566.

Thesis--University of Florida. / Description based on print version record. Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-158).

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A presente investigação tem como intuito primordial caracterizar o modo de realização do discurso filosófico em torno da temática da hierofania no pensamento contemporâneo, marcado essencialmente pelo niilismo. Para tal intento, é mister esclarecer os contornos ontológicos do acontecimento do sagrado em meio ao horizonte hermenêutico descerrado pela morte de Deus/niilismo, uma vez que é esta que caracteriza o lócus de onde emergem os discursos filosóficos contemporâneos que se apropriaram do imperativo histórico da crise das metanarrativas metafísicas que nos acomete. O modo como se desenvolverá tal investigação se perfaz em meio a uma lida estratégica com os pensamentos de Nietzsche e Heidegger. Enquanto o primeiro permite compreender a hierofania por meio de um acento existencial, que conjuga eternidade e temporalidade por meio dos operadores conceituais vontade de poder, eterno retorno do mesmo e Dionísio, o segundo nos leva a conceber a hierofania no acontecimento histórico-epocal de mundo. Conquanto os dois pensem a hierofania de modos distintos, seus discursos surgem da assunção dos desdobramentos ontológicos do acontecimento da morte de Deus/niilismo, o que os leva a serem respostas diferenciadas porém complementares para o problema da hierofania no mundo da morte de Deus/niilismo. Para que se possa perceber esta complementaridade e diferença, a presente investigação confrontará Nietzsche e Heidegger, estratégia hermenêutica necessária para que se perceba o ponto de unidade e diferenciação destes dois pensadores. Porquanto suas compreensões de hierofania se distinguem essencialmente das compreensões metafísicas próprias da tradição. Para que se evidencie esta diferença, a presente pesquisa deve, ao longo de seu desenvolvimento, confrontar-se com o problema do sagrado à luz desta tradição, o que nos levou a descrever diversos conceitos provenientes do pensamento filosófico judaico-cristão, como Santo Agostinho, São Tomás de Aquino, Boécio, Pseudo-Dionísio Areopagita, dentre outros. / The main goal of the present work/investigation is to characterize the way of accomplishment of the philosophic discourse on hierophany in the contemporary thought, which is essentially marked by nihilism. In order to achieve such target, it is crucial to clarify the ontological profiles of the occurrence of the sacred in the midst of the hermeneutical horizon opened by the death of God/nihilism, which characterizes the place where the contemporary philosophical discourses emerge from. Such discourses borrowed the historical imperatives of the crisis of the metaphysical metanarratives that assail us. This investigation will be developed amid a calculated strategy involving the thoughts of Nietzsche and Heidegger. Nietzsche allows the understanding of hierophany through existential emphasis which fuses eternity and temporariness through conceptual operators will of power, eternal return of it and Dionisio. Heidegger, on the other hand, leads us to conceive hierophany in the historical-epochal occurrence of the world. Although both think hierophany in different ways, their discourses arise from the assumption of the ontological unfoldings of the occurrence of the death of God/nihilism. This leads them to be differentiated but complementary answers to the issue of the hierophany in the world of the death of God/nihilism. In order to perceive this complementarity and difference, the present work will confront/compare Nietzsche and Heidegger - a necessary hermeneutical strategy which enables us to understand the point of unity and differentiation of these two thinkers, since their insights of hierophany are basically distinct from those of tradition. To make this difference clear, the present research must face the issue of the sacred in the light of this tradition, which led us to describe several concepts originating from the jewish-christian philosophical thought, such as St Agustin, St Tomas, Boecio, Pseudo-Denis among others.