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Terror, philosophy and the sublime

Some philosophical reflections on 11 September

Department of Philosophy, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA

This article begins by posing the question: how can we understand the ‘terror’ of 11 September? First, a brief discussion of the reactions, both psychological and political, provides a background for establishing the particular character of this act of terror as being both inside and outside, simultaneously. The pairing of ‘us’ and ‘them’ in inextricable struggle reminds us of the role monsters have always played in putting a face on the radical alterity of the Other. Second, the experience of terror is examined from three distinct philosophical positions: the fatalism of Baudrillard, the sublime of Kant, and the political of Arendt. Third, a discussion of the media and the role of the viewer of the Event of 11 September ends the discussion. In conclusion, it is suggested that the three ways of responding to the monstrous - practical understanding, working through and pardoning - may provide the best ways to help us empathize with our fellow human beings, which ultimately may move us to a fuller imaginative understanding.

Key Words: Al Qaeda • Arendt • Baudrillard • Kant • monsters

Philosophy & Social Criticism, Vol. 29, No. 1, 23-51 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/0191453703029001831


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