Bataille and Autobiographical Philosophy

Abstract

Evangelou introduces Bataille and his ostensible kinship to Nietzsche. He argues that more than any other philosopher Bataille commits himself to autobiographical philosophy and reads his trilogy Summa Atheologica—consisting of Inner Experience, Guilty and On Nietzsche—as a second case study of autobiographical philosophy. Through his commitment to this specific philosophical practice, Bataille opens up to madness in the sense that he not only discusses madness philosophically but also takes upon himself the task of getting as close to madness as possible. Evangelou also illustrates and evaluates Bataille’s understanding of identity and subjectivity especially in relation to his own version of putting on ‘masks’, namely his use of pseudonyms.