De Gruyter - The Passion of Infinity: Kierkegaard and Aristotle

The Passion of Infinity provides a deep historical narrative regarding the concept of the irrational and how rational culture attempts to understand it. This academic work examines the threat posed by the irrational through various historical lenses to see how societies have tried to relieve this tension. The text begins with a detailed reading of Sophocles' Oedipus, presenting him as the primary figure of a reason that reverses catastrophically after crossing mortal limits. The study then transitions into an analysis of Aristotle's ethics, psychology, and theory of tragedy. By looking at how Aristotle redefined the collapse of reason in moral and psychological terms rather than religious ones, the book offers a new way to conceive of the irrational. Part of the Kierkegaard Studies Monograph Series (19), this book is a significant resource for readers interested in the evolution of tragedy and the philosophical relationship between reason and the irrational. It offers a structured look at how these concepts have shaped Western thought from antiquity through the era of Kierkegaard.