The Ethics of Sexual Difference Author: [France] Lucy Irigaray / Ruth Irigaray Publisher: Nanjing University Press

◆Leading figure in contemporary feminist theory

◆ Deepen the dialogue between feminism and metaphysical criticism

◆Initiate the ethics of love and desire to achieve the common liberation of men and women

◆God uses his flesh to love me, and the hand of the lover comes to me

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【Content Introduction】

In Irigaray's view, sexual difference is an important philosophical issue of our time, and launching an ethical revolution of sexual difference is even more urgent. In this book, she traces the classic texts of six male philosophers: Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Spinoza, Merleau-Ponty and Levinas; at the same time, she also ponders the experience of love between the fetus and the mother, heterosexual couples, women, and women and their bodies.

By breaking down traditional binary relationships such as inside/outside, form/matter, subject/object, self/other, Irigaray points out the gender blind spots in classical and contemporary theories in thinking about such experiences. She believes that angels, as intermediaries, should flow, constantly shuttling between the earthly world and the divine, thereby announcing the perfection of marriage between men and women. Irigaray firmly believes in the importance of respecting the irreducible ontological differences between the sexes, loving with "two", and achieving the richness and beauty of the body and soul through the activities of love.

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【Celebrity Recommendation】

Irigaray’s Ethics of Sexual Difference is the most powerful feminist reading of the history of philosophy that I know of. She plunges into the philosophical canon with a critical vigour, “parodying” the masters and exposing their erasure/construction of womanhood. Irigaray is a very sophisticated and extremely erudite writer, and her text not only rewrites philosophy into a feminist context, but also establishes the most philosophically significant feminist criticism.

—Judith Butler

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【Editor's recommendation】

◆Master of feminist theory, representative figure of French feminism after Simone de Beauvoir

The author Irigredo is known as one of the "holy trinity" of contemporary French feminism, along with Julia Kristeva and Hélène Cixous. She was praised by Butler as "probably the most philosophically proficient feminist theorist I have read." Her works are extremely original and critical, and have profoundly influenced subsequent feminist scholars.

◆ "Sexual differences" as an important driving force for the liberation of both sexes

Since the 20th century, the women's liberation movement based on human rights and equality has achieved fruitful results. On the one hand, Irigaray has continued to care about gender equality, and on the other hand, she has focused on thinking about the possibility of difference. She firmly believes in the uniqueness of the female body; she insists on thinking about sexual differences from the ontological level, thereby overturning the traditional philosophy's assumption of "identity logic". This book not only reflects her broad and profound theoretical foundation, but also reveals her radical nature of daring to challenge the patriarchal tradition.

◆Important reading material on the new ethics of love

Irigaray advocates a progressive erotic ethics in the book: the two subjects are equal, without reduction, assimilation, possession or control. The man and woman in love turn to each other, and through the rich physical love, they radiate divinity and beauty.

◆ Renowned scholar Zhang Nian passionately translated and wrote a special article

The translation is carefully polished, the language is beautiful and fluent, and it strives to restore Irigaray's poetic and moving writing style.

◆The cover reproduces O'Keeffe's masterpiece, designed by emerging designer Shio

Thanks to the authorization of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the cover painting is the famous work "Black Iris" by American modern art master Georgia O'Keeffe, which reflects the ideal intimate couple described by Irigaray: loving with "two" in caressing and entanglement. The small 32-page slim book is exquisite and portable, and the cover is made of specially selected soft art paper, which provides a soft and comfortable reading experience.

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