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One of the most powerful voices in contemporary [[French ]] [[philosophy ]] explodes the facile assumptions behind the [[recent ]] [[ethical ]] turn.

Ethical questions dominate current [[political ]] and academic agendas. While [[government ]] [[think]]-tanks ponder the dilemmas of bio-[[ethics]], medical ethics and professional ethics, respect for [[human ]] rights and reverence for the [[Other ]] have become matters of broad consensus.

[[Alain ]] [[Badiou]], one of the most powerful voices in contemporary French philosophy, explodes the facile assumptions behind this recent ethical turn. He shows how our prevailing ethical principles serve ultimately to reinforce an [[ideology ]] of the status quo, and fail to provide a framework for an effective [[understanding ]] of the [[concept ]] of [[evil]].

In contrast, Badiou summons up an “ethic “[[ethic]] of truths” which is designed both to sustain and inspire a disciplined, [[subjective ]] adherence to a militant [[cause ]] (be it political or [[scientific]], artistic or romantic), and to discern a finely demarcated zone of application for the concept of evil. He [[defends ]] an effectively super-human integrity over the respect for merely [[human rights]], asserts a partisan [[universality ]] over the negotiation of merely [[particular ]] interests, and appeals to an “immortal” [[value ]] beyond the protection of mortal privileges.