Agamben's Ethics of the Happy Life

Ype de Boer invites you to rethink what you know about the philosophy of Giorgio Agamben.

In a compelling and original argument, De Boer contends that, in the work of Agamben, ethics takes primacy over politics. Presenting a careful evaluation of Agambenâs overlooked contribution to ethics, this book explores his enigmatic yet central concept of the âhappy lifeâ.

By reading Agambenâs philosophy in terms of a âpoetico-philosophical experimentâ â" a term coined by the Italian philosopher himself, and one through which he questions our very mode of existence â" De Boer assesses the variety of ethical paradigms that Agambenâs work offers. This not only challenges the widespread misconception of Agamben as the âdark prophetâ known for his pessimistic, even nihilistic political critiques, but reveals how understanding the various facets of the âhappy lifeâ allows for a better appreciation of his attacks on the ethico-political condition. Agamben's Ethics and the Happy Life demonstrates that ultimately Agamben seeks to formulate an alternative notion of ethics, politics and ontology that will lead us out of nihilism.

Tracing Agambenâs positive moral philosophy through his key works, including the seminal Homo Sacer series, De Boer uncovers how, for Agamben, a happy life is one directed not by responsibility, guilt, action and duty, but by receptivity, love, use and potentiality.