Yes, the broader context that inspired Heidegger, Badiou, and Deleuze to develop and use the concept of the event (or Ereignis) includes several existential, historical, and philosophical dimensions shared by the 20th century. This context is marked by profound upheavals and transformations that significantly influenced their thinking. Here are some key aspects of this broader context:
1. **Historical and Political Turmoil**:
- **World Wars**: The experiences and aftermath of World War I and World War II had a profound impact on the 20th-century philosophical landscape. The devastation and existential crises caused by these wars forced philosophers to grapple with questions of meaning, existence, and historical change.
- **Totalitarianism and Ideologies**: The rise and fall of totalitarian regimes, including Nazism and Stalinism, challenged philosophers to rethink the nature of human existence, freedom, and political structures. Heidegger's own controversial involvement with the Nazi regime adds a complex layer to this context.
- **Cold War**: The geopolitical tensions and existential threats posed by the Cold War also contributed to a sense of urgency and a reexamination of historical and existential conditions.
2. **Technological and Scientific Advances**:
- **Industrialization and Technology**: The rapid industrialization and technological advancements of the 20th century altered human life and perception of reality. Heidegger, in particular, was concerned with the implications of technology on Being and human existence.
- **Scientific Discoveries**: Developments in science, particularly in physics (e.g., relativity and quantum mechanics), challenged traditional notions of reality and contributed to new philosophical inquiries into the nature of being and becoming.
3. **Philosophical Movements**:
- **Existentialism**: Existentialist thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Albert Camus explored themes of freedom, absurdity, and the human condition, which resonated with the broader existential questions of the time.
- **Phenomenology**: Building on the work of Edmund Husserl, phenomenology influenced Heidegger’s early work and provided a methodological foundation for examining human experience and consciousness.
- **Structuralism and Post-Structuralism**: Thinkers like Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, and Roland Barthes challenged traditional structures and binaries, influencing Deleuze and Badiou’s approaches to philosophy, particularly in their critique of fixed identities and stable structures.
4. **Crises of Meaning and Representation**:
- **Nihilism and the Crisis of Values**: The 20th century saw a widespread sense of nihilism and a crisis of traditional values, exacerbated by the horrors of war and the disillusionment with progress and reason. Nietzsche’s declaration of the “death of God” and his influence on subsequent thinkers highlighted the need for a revaluation of values.
- **Language and Representation**: The limits of language and representation became central concerns, with philosophers exploring how language shapes and constrains our understanding of reality. Heidegger’s focus on language as the “house of Being” and Deleuze’s interest in semiotics and signs are part of this broader inquiry.
5. **Radical Transformation and Change**:
- **Events as Breaks with Continuity**: The notion of the event as a radical break with continuity and the emergence of new possibilities reflects a shared concern with how transformative moments redefine existence and understanding. This is evident in Heidegger’s "Ereignis," Badiou’s events that create new truths, and Deleuze’s emphasis on becoming and differentiation.
In summary, the common broader context that inspired Heidegger, Badiou, and Deleuze to use the concept of the event includes the historical and political upheavals, technological and scientific advancements, philosophical movements, crises of meaning and representation, and a shared concern with radical transformation and change. These elements collectively shaped their existential inquiries and philosophical developments, leading to their unique yet resonant conceptualizations of the event.
