Living with indifference

182 Pages·2007·11.849 MB·English

by  Scott, Charles E

PhilosoPhy
“A refreshing reminder of what
philosophical practice is capable
S
c
Living with
of setting forth.” o
—Jason Winfree, t
t
California state University
a bold confrontation with
unintentional Indifference
neutrality and carelessness
Living with Indifference is about the dimension of life that L
is utterly neutral, without care, feeling, or personality. in i
v
this provocative work that is anything but indifferent, i
n
Charles E. scott explores the ways people have spoken
g
and thought about indifference. Exploring topics such as

time, chance, beauty, imagination, violence, and virtue, w
Charles E. Scott
Scott shows how affirming indifference can be beneficial, i
t
and how destructive consequences can occur when we h
deny it. scott’s preoccupation with indifference issues
I
a demand for focused attention in connection with per- n
sonal values, ethics, and beliefs. This elegantly argued d
book speaks to the positive value of diversity and a i
f
f
world that is open to human passion. e
r
e
CharlEs E. sCoTT is Distinguished Professor of Phi- n
losophy and Director of the Vanderbilt University Center c
e
for Ethics. his most recent books include The Lives of
Things, On the Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethics
and Politics, and The Question of Ethics. he is co-editor of
Companion to Heidegger’s Contributions to Philosophy
(all available from indiana University Press).
StudiES in ContinEntal thought
John sallis, editor
INDIANA
University Press IN
D
IA
Bloomington & Indianapolis N
A
http://iupress.indiana.edu
1-800-842-6796
LIVING WITH INDIFFERENCE
Studies in Continental Thought
John Sallis, general editor
Consulting Editors
Robert Bernasconi William L. McBride
Rudolph Bernet J. N. Mohanty
John D. Caputo Mary Rawlinson
David Carr Tom Rockmore
Edward S. Casey Calvin O. Schrag
Hubert Dreyfus †Reiner Schürmann
Don Ihde Charles E. Scott
David Farrell Krell Thomas Sheehan
Lenore Langsdorf Robert Sokolowski
Alphonso Lingis Bruce W. Wilshire
David Wood
Living with
Indifference
(cid:2)
CHARLES E. SCOTT
Indiana University Press
Bloomington & Indianapolis
“The Academy ofFine Ideas” is from The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens
by Wallace Stevens, copyright 1954 by Wallace Stevens and renewed 1982 by
Holly Stevens. Used by permission ofAlfred A. Knopf, a division ofRandom
House, Inc. “Apology for Bad Dreams” is from Selected Poetry ofRobinson Jef-
fersby Robinson Jeffers, copyright 1925 and renewed 1953 by Robinson Jef-
fers. Used by permission of Random House, Inc. “what Got him Noth” is
from Complete Poems: 1904–1962by E. E. Cummings, edited by George J.
Firmage, copyright 1957, 1985, 1991 by the Trustees for the E. E. Cum-
mings Trust. Used by permission ofLiveright Publishing Corporation.
This book is a publication of
Indiana University Press
601 North Morton Street
Bloomington, IN 47404-3797 USA
http://iupress.indiana.edu
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© 2007 by Charles E. Scott
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher. The Association of American
University Presses’ Resolution on Permissions constitutes the only
exception to this prohibition.
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of
Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.
      
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Scott, Charles E.
Living with indifference / Charles E. Scott.
p. cm. — (Studies in continental thought)
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-253-34856-2 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-253-21900-8
(pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Indifferentism (Ethics) 2. Apathy. I. Title.
BJ1535.I63S36 2007
170—dc22
2006029097
1 2 3 4 5 12 11 10 09 08 07
For Vincent Colapietro, John Sallis,
Dennis Schmidt, John Stuhr,
and Nancy Tuana

CONTENTS
 ⁄ ix
1. Speaking of Indifference 1
2. Helen, Truth, and the Wisdom of Nemesis 11
3. Pythagoras, Indifference, and the Beautiful Soul 22
4. The Indifference of Finitude: Arendt and Heidegger 33
5. Another Look at “Soul”: Mimetic Geist 49
6. Indifferent Freedom 60
7. In the Name of Goodness 92
8. Indifferent Love 106
9. Trauma’s Presentation 125
10. The Appearance of Public Memory 135
11. Wal-Mart and the Heavens: The Factor of Indifference 145
 ⁄ 163

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to Charlie and Sue Ruffing, Glenn Gustafson, Kathy and
Dennis Haggarty, Stephen Miller, Stephen Swoyer, and Charles R. Scott for
technological help at times that seemed like crises in their moments. Dur-
ing the several years of conception and writing I received valuable assis-
tance from Juliana Eimer, Bryan Lueck, Omar Rivera, and Henry Wang.
Many friends and critics responded to chapters and parts of chapters with
helpful comments. Penn State University and especially Susan Welch, dean
of the College of Liberal Arts, provided important and appreciated sup-
port. Susan Schoenbohm made the difference that turns assistance and in-
sight into a work considerably exceeding kindness. Vincent Colapietro, John
Sallis, Dennis Schmidt, John Stuhr, and Nancy Tuana provided incompa-
rable collegiality and good counsel, transforming what Stevens might call
the assassin’s song into occasions of friendship.