Taking Charge

Reviews / Votes

Manuel Cruz is, together with few other Spanish philosophers, the reference of what is going on in Spain's contemporary philosophy. This book could be easily summed up with the following post-Marxist slogan: "until now men seemed fit to describe the world, now the moment has arrived for them to take it on." Cruz is alarmed by lack of responsibility in men today, that is, regardless of what is happening in the world, the first impression we get is that men find themselves less than ever responsible. It seems more difficult than ever to accuse, on whatever ground, someone even of things he himself is against, such as global warming, nuclear proliferation, or even racism which are all spread throughout the world. Although this is his first book translated into English, it will not be the last. --Santiago Zabala, Santiago Zabala is ICREA Research Professor at the University of Barcelona and coauthor of Hermeneutic Communism "Manuel Cruz's Taking Charge is one of the most powerful and original articulations of political philosophy I have read in recent years. One could define Cruz's project as an attempt to work out the "politics of responsibility", suffusing political practice and discourse with ethical concerns. The book is an impressive manifesto by the most important and prolific Spanish philosopher of our time." - Michael Marder, Duquesne University "Manuel Cruz is one of the exciting and significant thinkers writing in Spanish today. His work cuts across many of the usual boundaries of philosophy, engaging with a range of thinkers from both the analytic and European traditions that is indicative of an exceptional breadth of knowledge and openness of mind. Fresh and innovative in its approach, Cruz's work also brings with it a real sense of philosophical engagement and commitment - a genuine 'taking on' of the world and of our current situation. This is the first translation into English of any of Cruz's writings, and will certainly not be the last. Not only does it provide an introduction to Cruz's thought, but it also points towards to the enormous wealth of thought on the Iberian peninsula and beyond, and which has largely remained, for far too long, beyond the horizons of Anglo-American philosophy." - Jeff Malpas, Professor of Philosophy, University of Tasmania. "With taking charge we finally have available in English the work of one of Europe's most important contemporary thinkers. Manuel Cruz's work brings together questions of epistemology, ontology, and ethics with important contributions to the philosophy of history and political thought. in taking charge he presents us with a forceful vision of identity and responsibility as informed by the hermeneutic tradition. elegantly translated and with an important preface by Gianni Vattimo, this book represents a fitting introduction to the English speaking world of a leading voice in philosophy today." -William Egginton, Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities Chair, German and Romance Languages and Literatures The Johns Hopkins University. "Manuel Cruz offers a non-essentialist, non-moralizing, immanent and secular form of ethics that rejects the politics of identity and philosophies of difference--exposing them both as imperialist, paternalistic discourses symptomatic of the culture of late capitalism. In their place, he affirms--indeed, radicalizes--the idea of, and demand for, equality. Cruz provides a philosophical intervention that is a timely and urgently needed reactivation of the political subject. This is a true clarion call that we once again assume the responsibility to take charge of our world." - Dr. Jeffrey W. Robbins, Director of American Studies and the College Colloquium Department of Religion & Philosophy, Lebanon Valley College, USA.