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Many philosophers and lay people believe that philosophy has an important role to play in times of societal crisis. In this contribution reasons are given to doubt the supposed societal relevance of philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the French philosophers who discuss the literature of writer the Marquis de Sade, Maurice Blanchot presents a unique interpretation. For Blanchot, literature is the theme par excellence on which his entire oeuvre has been built. It is not, however, the case that Blanchot reads several literary forms and invents new concepts to map out a certain form of literature. His thinking about literature is indeed accompanied by an ideal and his interest goes out to a particular kind of writer, namely the writer who feels closely related to revolution. This implies that Blanchot is interested in Sade because his literature is both an illustration of a certain ideal, and is stuck in the revolutionary moment of radical negation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is often argued that in Marquis de Sade's novels moral transgression is central and that Sade's libertines enjoy violating the moral law. In this article the author holds, with the help of the Sade interpretation of the French philosopher Georges Bataille, that in Sade's literature another kind of transgression takes a central place, and that therefore also the sadist's enjoyment needs to be understood differently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essay is presented concerning the book "Coldness and Cruelty" by philosopher Gilles Deleuze which investigates the psychological concept called sadism introduced by novelist Donatien-Alphonse-Francois de Sade. Topics discussed include the philosopher's analysis of the novelist's books which includes "The 120 Days of Sodom", the author's analysis of the mind of the sadist, and the author's use of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud's "Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality" in the analysis.

It is commonly accepted that technology and society have always been intertwined. The question is rather how we should understand that relation. This introduction to the special issue 'Technology and Society' gives a brief overview of the history of the questions related to this intertwinement. The special issue consists of six essays, emanating from presentations at the 2019 conference on Technology and Society at the Institute of Philosophy, KU Leuven. It was organized by the Working Group on Philosophy of Technology (WGPT), whose aim is to promote philosophy of technology at the KU Leuven, but also more broadly in Belgium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the exhibition "Sade. Attacking the sun" at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France on October 14, 2014.