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Tautótes

On the Western Meaning of Identity
Brief Description
The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s radical critique of the notion of identity. Starting from his central intuition that Western culture is essentially nihilism, Emanuele Severino reflects anew on the problem of identity, abandoning the ambiguous (and ultimately contradictory) fashion in which being and becoming... Read More
Format: Hardback
$29700

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The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s radical critique of the notion of identity, this is a fundamental work of the Italian philosopher.

The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s radical critique of the notion of identity, this is a fundamental work of the Italian philosopher.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s radical critique of the notion of identity.

Starting from his central intuition that Western culture is essentially nihilism, Emanuele Severino reflects anew on the problem of identity, abandoning the ambiguous (and ultimately contradictory) fashion in which being and becoming are grasped in the Western tradition. In this foundational work in Severino’s philosophy, the philosopher questions the dominant understanding of identity in Western culture, tracing it back to Aristotle’s definition of identity as tautótes. In his endeavour, Severino discusses – with his particular depth – the most renowned philosophical passages from Hegel, Aristotle, Plato and Kant, presenting a radical critique of identity.

This book constitutes part of Severino’s monumental theoretical apparatus, comprising a critique of Western metaphysics that sets him alongside Heidegger in contemporary theory. This translation of Tautótes will appeal to those interested in the central problems of Ancient and contemporary philosophy, ontology and metaphysics.

Series: The Works of Emanuele Severino

View all
  • The Fundamental Tendency of Our Time
    The Fundamental Tendency of Our Times (Tendenza) is the Italian philosopher Emanuele Severino’s crucial reflection on modern technology and science, in which he articulates his major contribution to the analysis of Western modernity: the claim that, beginning with Greek civilization, a nihilistic spirit of domination informs our conceptual and social systems. In this book, Severino applies his framework to the...
    Paperback
    $4399
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Beyond Language
    Beyond Language (Oltre il Linguaggio) is one of Italian philosopher Emmanuele Severino’s major works, wrestling with whether it’s possible to think meaningfully outside of the restrictions of language. Increasingly recognised as a truly foundational thinker in the formation of contemporary theory, Severino’s ideas around self-expression, forms of communication, and the limitations of language are brought to the fore in this...
    Paperback
    $4999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • War
    The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s provocative analysis of the philosophy behind war in the West. Drawing on a broad range of sources, from Heraclitus to 20th-century grassroots movements, Italy’s foremost philosopher calls for a new way of thinking that could lead the West to perpetual peace. War, for Severino, is not merely the manifestation of conflict through violence...
    Paperback
    $4500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • War
    The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s provocative analysis of the philosophy behind war in the West. Drawing on a broad range of sources, from Heraclitus to 20th-century grassroots movements, Italy’s foremost philosopher calls for a new way of thinking that could lead the West to perpetual peace. For Severino, war is not merely the manifestation of conflict through violence...
    Hardback
    $29700
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Tautótes
    The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s radical critique of the notion of identity. Starting from his central intuition that Western culture is essentially nihilism, Emanuele Severino reflects anew on the problem of identity, abandoning the ambiguous (and ultimately contradictory) fashion in which being and becoming are grasped in the Western tradition. In this foundational work in Severino’s philosophy, the...
    Hardback
    $29700
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Tautótes
    The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s radical critique of the notion of identity. Starting from his central intuition that Western culture is essentially nihilism, Emanuele Severino reflects anew on the problem of identity, abandoning the ambiguous (and ultimately contradictory) fashion in which being and becoming are grasped in the Western tradition. In this foundational work in Severino’s philosophy, the...
    Paperback
    $4500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Law and Chance
    Written by one of the foremost Italian philosophers of the 20th century, Emanuele Severino's Law and Chance (Legge e Caso) explores the metaphysical categories that underpin the theoretical and practical domination of contemporary science. According to Severino, it is only by tracing the origin of the power of science to the Greek meanings of being and nothingness that it becomes...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781350468214

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 17 September 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic

Contributors:

  • Translated by Antimo Lucarelli

Audience: Tertiary education

DIMENSIONS

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Emanuele Severino (1929 –2020) was an Italian philosopher. An original thinker and public intellectual, he is considered one of the most important Italian thinkers of the 20th century.


Antimo Lucarelli is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Philosophy Department of Yale University, USA. He obtained his PhD from the Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies at the School of Advanced Study, University of London, UK. Lucarelli holds a BA in Philosophy and an MA in Philosophical Sciences from the University of Milan, Italy.

Also by Emanuele Severino

View all
  • The Fundamental Tendency of Our Time
    The Fundamental Tendency of Our Times (Tendenza) is the Italian philosopher Emanuele Severino’s crucial reflection on modern technology and science, in which he articulates his major contribution to the analysis of Western modernity: the claim that, beginning with Greek civilization, a nihilistic spirit of domination informs our conceptual and social systems. In this book, Severino applies his framework to the...
    Paperback
    $4399
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Beyond Language
    Beyond Language (Oltre il Linguaggio) is one of Italian philosopher Emmanuele Severino’s major works, wrestling with whether it’s possible to think meaningfully outside of the restrictions of language. Increasingly recognised as a truly foundational thinker in the formation of contemporary theory, Severino’s ideas around self-expression, forms of communication, and the limitations of language are brought to the fore in this...
    Paperback
    $4999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • War
    The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s provocative analysis of the philosophy behind war in the West. Drawing on a broad range of sources, from Heraclitus to 20th-century grassroots movements, Italy’s foremost philosopher calls for a new way of thinking that could lead the West to perpetual peace. War, for Severino, is not merely the manifestation of conflict through violence...
    Paperback
    $4500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • War
    The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s provocative analysis of the philosophy behind war in the West. Drawing on a broad range of sources, from Heraclitus to 20th-century grassroots movements, Italy’s foremost philosopher calls for a new way of thinking that could lead the West to perpetual peace. For Severino, war is not merely the manifestation of conflict through violence...
    Hardback
    $29700
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Tautótes
    The first English translation of Emanuele Severino’s radical critique of the notion of identity. Starting from his central intuition that Western culture is essentially nihilism, Emanuele Severino reflects anew on the problem of identity, abandoning the ambiguous (and ultimately contradictory) fashion in which being and becoming are grasped in the Western tradition. In this foundational work in Severino’s philosophy, the...
    Paperback
    $4500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Law and Chance
    Written by one of the foremost Italian philosophers of the 20th century, Emanuele Severino's Law and Chance (Legge e Caso) explores the metaphysical categories that underpin the theoretical and practical domination of contemporary science. According to Severino, it is only by tracing the origin of the power of science to the Greek meanings of being and nothingness that it becomes...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

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