Poetics of Imagining: Modern to Post-modern by Richard Kearney – A Deep Dive into Imagination from Phenomenology to Post

Introduction

In an age where images dominate our screens, thoughts, and even our sense of self, the question of imagination has never been more urgent. Richard Kearney’s Poetics of Imagining: Modern to Post-modern is a masterful exploration of how human beings create, interpret, and live through the imaginative act. This book is not merely a philosophical treatise; it is a vital guide for students, scholars, and anyone curious about the power of the imaginary in shaping our ethical and aesthetic worlds. Published by Fordham University Press, this hardcover edition brings together decades of insight into a single, compelling volume.

Book Overview

Poetics of Imagining: Modern to Post-modern offers a comprehensive journey through the major theories of imagination in modern European thought. Kearney traces the evolution of the concept from phenomenology through hermeneutics to postmodernism, examining how thinkers like Husserl, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Bachelard, Heidegger, Ricoeur, Vattimo, Kristeva, and Lyotard have grappled with the nature of the imaginary. The book is enriched with a new foreword and an afterword chapter that delve into the narrative imagination, making it an indispensable resource for understanding the relationship between creativity, ethics, and justice in our contemporary, image-saturated world.

Key Highlights

• Comprehensive Coverage: Spans from modern phenomenology to postmodern thought, offering a clear, chronological narrative of philosophical developments.
• Original Foreword and Afterword: Includes new material that deepens the discussion on narrative imagination and its ethical implications.
• Accessible yet Rigorous: Written in a clear, engaging style suitable for both advanced students and general readers interested in philosophy and literary theory.
• Interdisciplinary Approach: Bridges aesthetics, ethics, and politics, showing how imagination is central to human experience and social justice.
• Critical Analysis: Provides balanced assessments of each thinker’s contributions, helping readers understand both strengths and limitations.

Inside the Book

Kearney structures the book around three major movements: phenomenology, hermeneutics, and postmodernism. In the first section, he examines how Husserl’s intentionality, Sartre’s nothingness, Merleau-Ponty’s embodied perception, and Bachelard’s poetics of space define imagination as a fundamental human capacity. The hermeneutic section explores Heidegger’s ontology of understanding and Ricoeur’s narrative identity, showing how imagination mediates between self and world. The postmodern section engages with Vattimo’s weak thought, Kristeva’s abjection, and Lyotard’s sublime, questioning the limits of representation. Each chapter is rich with textual analysis and philosophical argument, culminating in Kearney’s own vision of a responsible imagination that reconciles creativity with moral accountability.

Key Topics

• The nature of imagination in phenomenology and existentialism
• Hermeneutic approaches to narrative and self-understanding
• Postmodern critiques of representation and truth
• The ethical dimensions of artistic creation
• Imagination and social justice in a world of images
• The role of narrative in shaping identity and community

Reader Benefits

This book equips readers with a deep understanding of how imagination operates not just in art, but in everyday life. It clarifies complex philosophical ideas without oversimplifying them, making it an excellent companion for courses in philosophy, literary theory, cultural studies, and aesthetics. Readers will gain the ability to critically analyze images and narratives in media, politics, and personal experience. The book also inspires a reflective attitude toward one’s own imaginative life, encouraging a balance between creative freedom and ethical responsibility.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the key theories of imagination from Husserl to Lyotard
• Analyze the relationship between aesthetics and ethics in contemporary culture
• Evaluate postmodern critiques of imagination and their implications
• Apply hermeneutic concepts to narrative and identity formation
• Develop a personal framework for responsible imagining

Who Should Read

This book is ideal for undergraduate and postgraduate students of philosophy, literature, and cultural studies. It is also highly relevant for researchers in aesthetics, critical theory, and narrative studies. General readers with an interest in how imagination shapes our world—including artists, writers, educators, and journalists—will find Kearney’s insights both illuminating and practical. Indian readers, in particular, will appreciate the book’s relevance to debates about tradition, modernity, and the ethics of representation in a rapidly changing society.

About the Author

Richard Kearney is one of the foremost contemporary philosophers, known for his work on imagination, narrative, and the philosophy of religion. He has taught at University College Dublin, Boston College, and the Sorbonne, and has authored numerous influential books, including The Wake of Imagination and On Stories. Kearney’s writing is characterized by its clarity, depth, and commitment to bridging continental philosophy with pressing ethical concerns. His work has been translated into many languages and continues to inspire scholars across the globe.

About the Publisher

Fordham University Press is a distinguished academic publisher based in New York, known for its contributions to philosophy, theology, and the humanities. With a reputation for publishing rigorous and accessible scholarship, Fordham University Press has been a vital platform for thinkers like Kearney, ensuring that complex ideas reach a wide and engaged readership.

Conclusion

Poetics of Imagining: Modern to Post-modern is more than a book; it is an invitation to rethink the very foundations of how we see, create, and act. In a world flooded with images, Kearney’s work offers a compass for navigating the tension between imagination and responsibility. Whether you are a student of philosophy or a curious mind seeking deeper understanding, this hardcover edition deserves a place on your shelf. Order your copy from Bookshops.in today and embark on a transformative intellectual journey.