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Aesthetic Ideology. Edited by Paul de Man. Intro by Andrzej Warminski. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1996.
This book collects essays from the last years of de Man's life (197783) concerning the "critical linguistic analysis" of the possibility of an "aesthetic ideology" (Warminski 1). The essays include analyses of the work of Locke, Pascal, Kant, Hegel, Schlegel, and others related to the theory of language-in particular to the ragged border between literary theory and philosophy. Additionally, de Man talks of "the possibility of juxtaposing ideology and critical philosophy, which is the persistent burden of contemporary thought" (70). He concludes that neither twain shall meet, but readers who enjoy twisting their minds in the yogic contortions of contemporary critical postures will appreciate de Man's energetic proof, and those who don't may yet be comforted by...