From Life To Survival

Contemporary continental thought is marked by a move away from the “linguistic turn” in twentieth-century European philosophy, as new materialisms and ontologies seek to leave behind the thinking of language central to poststructuralism as it has been traditionally understood. At the same time, biopolitical philosophy has brought critical attention to the question of life, examining new formations of life and death. Within this broader turn, Derridean deconstruction, with its apparent focus on language, writing, and textuality, is generally set aside. This book, by contrast, shows the continued relevance of deconstruction for contemporary thought’s engagement with resolutely material issues and with matters of life and the living. Trumbull elaborates Derrida’s thinking of life across his work, specifically his recasting of life as “life death,” and in turn, survival or living on. Derrida’s activation of Freud, Trumbull shows, is central to this problematic and its consequences, especially deconstruction’s ethical and political possibilities. The book traces how Derrida’s early treatment of Freud and his mobilization of Freud’s death drive allow us to grasp the deconstructive thought of life as constitutively exposed to death, the logic subsequently rearticulated in the notion of survival. Derrida’s recasting of life as survival, Trumbull demonstrates, allows deconstruction to destabilize inherited understandings of life, death, and the political, including the dominant configurations of sovereignty and the death penalty.

The seventh in our series of Derrida's seminars, Life Death provides interdisciplinary reflections on the relationship of life and death—now in paperback. One of Jacques Derrida’s most provocative works, Life Death deconstructs a deeply rooted dichotomy of Western thought: life and death. In rethinking the relationship between life and death, Derrida undertakes a multi-disciplinary analysis of a range of topics across philosophy, linguistics, and the life sciences. Derrida gave this seminar over fourteen sessions between 1975 and 1976 at the École normale supérieure in Paris to prepare students for the agrégation, a notoriously competitive exam. The theme for the exam that year was “Life and Death,” but Derrida made a critical modification to the title by dropping the coordinating conjunction. The resulting title of Life Death poses a philosophical question about the close relationship between life and death. Through close readings of Freudian psychoanalysis, the philosophy of Nietzsche and Heidegger, French geneticist François Jacob, and epistemologist Georges Canguilhem, Derrida argues that death must be considered neither as the opposite of life nor as the truth or fulfillment of it, but rather as that which both limits life and makes it possible. Derrida thus not only questions traditional understandings of the relationship between life and death but also ultimately develops a new way of thinking about what he calls “life death.”

'Robert Almeder has clearly summarized an extensive body of evidence and argues its merits with the skill of a professional philosopher.'--Ian Stevenson, M.D., University of Virginia, Health Sciences Center

"I look forward to the day I see yellow caution tape stretched around my students' neighborhoods, the chalk outline of apathy on the ground, crushed by the weight of a thousand books. Until then I treat each day as if books are EpiPens and every student has a shellfish allergy with a mouth full of shrimp." Most of the students in Daphne Russell's reading class have never read an entire book, and they can’t relate to Harry Potter and his magic wand. Abel is twenty-eight days behind everyone else and he needs enough books inside him to get his lungs to work again, mend his shattered heart, and kick the shit out of apathy. In her memoir Read or Die, Russell documents her daily battle as a middle school teacher in Tucson, Arizona, fighting against predetermined trajectories of less-than beliefs with an arsenal of hard covers and tattered pages. A talented and caring teacher, Russell offers a moving portrayal that combines rich autobiographical details with firsthand insight into the world of education. Read or Die is not only a compelling story, but also offers revealing and meaningful insights into education in America from a seasoned insider.

In Will You Survive? an adventurous journey is filled with disasters. For each disaster, you can choose one of three paths. The path you choose determines your chances for survival. Learn real-life survival skills and fun facts as you go.

An examination of the causes and effects of stress, showing how to identify and reduce unnecessary and unwanted stress. Provides complete programs for relaxation and "stress-proofing" lifestyles. Color illustrations and photographs.

New for 2020, The Complete Survival Book Collection combines the best in emergency readiness and disaster survival with sustainable living and survival practices. This collection pairs up two of the best books in surviving and thriving, whether facing a natural disaster or creating your own home away from it all. Writer Tim MacWelch brings us the know-how in survival and homesteading from the editors of Outdoor Life. How to Survive Anything, a comprehensive guide to surviving anything from the normal to the rare, brings us everything from confronting wild animals to living through a meteor impact. How to Survive Off the Grid gives the reader the know-how to engage in sustainable living and housing off the grid, ranging from backyard chicken coops to building and living in your own distant cabin retreat.

Cartoonist Martin Baxendale's on-going series of spoof manuals have sold millions of copies worldwide. The latest range of survival guides now include 'Life After 50' and combine Martin's famous blend of slightly naughty cartoons and off-beat comments.