Alain Badiou's ontology and utopian thought

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi, Siyaset Bilimi ve Kamu Yönetimi Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2015

Öğrenci: ŞEREF ANIL KAHVECİOĞLU

Danışman: REŞİDE ÖMÜR BİRLER

Özet:

This thesis analyzes Alain Badiou’s ontology in a utopian framework. Surprisingly, there is no serious academic study in literature to examine his ontology in a utopian context, even though his ontology involves significant concepts that may connote utopian impulses. Hence, the main purpose of this thesis is to fill this theoretical gap. In this regard, firstly, the thesis categorizes utopian thought as traditional and contemporary, which display utterly opposite characteristics. Secondly, Badiou’s interpretation of Plato, who is seen as one of the most prominent figures of utopian thought, is discussed in order to provide the transition between utopian theory and his ontology. Following, his key terms such as the void, the state of the situation, infinity, event, subject and truth are analyzed respectively. From this theoretical analysis of the concepts, the thesis positions Badiou against the traditional utopian values which simultaneously brings him closer to the contemporary utopian perspective. The assessment of the position of Badiou’s ontology between these two utopian approaches presents the picture of radical politics in the 21st century within the context of Badiou.