ABSTRACT
Michel Foucault once warned against those who viewed philosophy as a “perpetual reduplication of itself, an infinite commentary on texts without any relation to externality.” This perspective, he argued, confined philosophical discourse within a closed loop of self-referentiality, detached from external contexts. Instead, this chapter advocates for a conception of philosophical endeavor shaped by the insights of Alain Badiou, regarding philosophy as attentive to events, which have the potential to precipitate the collapse of the present moment. This contribution departs from the premise that philosophy should listen outwardly, considering any external material suitable for reflection. It illustrates such a philosophical perspective using the example of Gaza, while drawing on the importance of engaging with contemporary events and argues against reducing philosophy to mere commentary on previous literature. Instead, it advocates for a philosophy rooted in attentive listening to events that challenge and transform the present moment. The interconnectedness between specific events is emphasized, such as the massacre in Gaza, and larger social processes, including the normalization of violence and militarization.
