انتشارات کتاب طه

Lenart Škof: Breath of Proximity: Intersubjectivity, Ethics and Peace (Dordrecht: Springer, 2015)

Sophia Studies in Cross-cultural Philosophy of Traditions and Cultures

About the book

This book offers an original contribution towards a new theory of intersubjectivity which places ethics of breath, hospitality and non-violence in the forefront. Emphasizing Indian philosophy and religion (Vedas and Upanishads) and related cross-cultural interpretations, it provides new intercultural interpretations of key Western concepts which traditionally were developed and followed in the vein of re-conceptualizations or revitalizations of Greek thought, as in Nietzsche and Heidegger, for example. The significance of the book lies in its establishment of a new platform for thinking philosophically about intersubjectivity, so as to nudge contemporary philosophy towards a more sensitive approach, which is needed in our times. Its originality lies in its innovative approach, which searches for the origin of ethical gestures (represented in respecting the breath/breathing) through the newly introduced concept of “mesocosm” as a space of a ritual, or a new ethical space of intersubjective encounters. The book also introduces the possibility of an original ethics based on breath. Intended for philosophers, feminists and others concerned with intercultural philosophy and comparative religion, the book will appeal to readers interested in contemporary ethical and political theories of peaceful conflict resolution and concepts of hospitality. A Breath of Hospitality will benefit all who seek a more sensitive approach in philosophy, including philosophy of religion, and often-neglected practical and educational layers of our everyday intersubjective relations.

Back Cover Endorsements

Life as breath: such is the grand theme of Lenart Škof's wonderful new book. Ranging from Indian Vedic writings to Heidegger and Irigaray, Breath of Proximity cuts across the tired analytic/continental distinction in philosophy and proposes an ethical cosmology based on our human dwelling. A breath of fresh air!

Kevin Hart is the Edwin B. Kyle Professor of Christian Studies at the University of Virginia

Lenart Škof wrote a very interesting book on breath and breathing which expresses and analyzes the essence of human existence. The breath or wind is the core point of humans. As you know, you will read in the New Testament, John 3.8 that the humans are born from the wind. The breath and wind have something to do with the ethics of being human, because humans live with breath and breathing. Ethics is essentially a way of life through breathing.

Tadashi Ogawa is Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Kyoto University

Breath and breathing are central themes of Asian philosophies since ancient times. This was also the case in ancient Europe. But we forgot about this dimension in our academic discourse. The book of Lenart Škof brings into sight that well known Western philosophers of the 20th century picked this topic up again. The book is the most notable and far-reaching attempt to rediscover the fundamental dimension of breath and breathing for the contemporary discourse of philosophy. 

Rolf Elberfeld is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Hildesheim

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The importance of this book for Persian readers lies in its innovative thinking (interculturally underpinned), which cuts across a more traditional (i.e., Western vs. Eestern) views on philosophy and religion and thus establishes a new platform for both philosophy of religion and ethics, based on the phenomena of breath and breathing. In all religions of the world, Breath/breath (ruah, nafas, spiritus, aer, pneuma, prana, ki/qi, iq’, mana, orenda…),  has been of the foremost importance for inaugurating the spiritual relationality between God, Human being and Cosmos. In this book, a new thinking of the mesocsm is proposed, based on an ancient Indian Vedic thinking and analyzed through a broad spectrum of some of the key Western thinkers (Feuerbach, Schelling, Heidegger, Derrida, Irigaray).  

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The launching of the book "Nafahat-e Nafas", the Persian translation of the book "Breath of Proximity (written by professor Lenart Skof and translated by Javad Taheri), was held on Sunday January 27, 2019.

In this book launch ceremony, a group of ambassadors of different countries and university professors and delegates from Taha Publishing and deputy of Slovenian Ambassador in Tehran, house have participated and the Author (Prof Skof), Translator (Mr. Taheri), Mohammad Mahdi Mazaheri, President of ECO Cultural Institute, Prof Hamidreza Ayatollahi delivered speeches on the subject.

Professor Lenart Škof, author of the book, gave a summary about the book, its purpose and its importance for Iranian readers. His speech was followed with comments by professors and other participants.

Lenart Škof is Professor of Philosophy and Head of the Institute for Philosophical Studies at Science and Research Centre of Koper (Slovenia), Professor of Humanities at Alma Mater Europaea (Maribor, Slovenia), and Visiting Professor of Religion at Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana. Lenart Škof received KAAD grant (Universität Tübingen), Fulbright grant (Stanford University) and Humboldt fellowship for experienced researchers (Max Weber Institute for Advanced Studies, Universität Erfurt). His main research interests lie in new cosmology and new materialism, philosophical theology, the philosophy of American pragmatism, comparative religion with intercultural philosophy, and feminist philosophy. Prof Škof delivered lectures at various universities, such as Australian Catholic University, Deakin University, University of Vienna, University of Delhi, Jadavpur University, Linköpings Universitet, University of Erfurt and others. He is the president of Slovenian Society for Comparative Religion.

نشر کتاب طه کتاب «نَفَحات نَفَس» را منتشر کرد:

بینافردیت، اخلاق و صلح

نویسنده: لنارت اشکوف

ترجمه: جواد طاهری

نشر: کتاب طه (با اجازه رسمی از نشر اشپرینگر)، چاپ اول، ۱۳۹۷، ۲۹۴ صفحه، ۴۴۰۰۰ تومان

▪️کتاب نفحات نفس: بینافردیت، اخلاق و صلح نگاشته لنارت اشکوف، فیلسوف و استاد اسلوونیایی، با تکیه بر دگردوستی، اخلاق و صلح در پی تبیین رویکردی نوین به بینافردیت است. نگارنده می‌کوشد تا با بهره‌گیری از سنت دینی و فلسفی هند تغییرات و پیشرفت‌هایی را در مفاهیم مورد نظر در تفکر و فلسفه غرب ایجاد کرده و آن را از تسلیم بی‌چون و چرا در برابر مفاهیم یونانی به در آورد.