Name and Image: An Essay on Walter Benjamin

During his lifetime, Italian philosopher Carchia (1947–2000) studied and worked with philosophical giants, such as Gianni Vattimo, Walter Benjamin, and Theodor Adorno. When Carchia graduated in 1971, he wrote his thesis about Benjamin, one of the most significant philosophers of the 20th century. He was known for his ideas about pop culture and art, especially his challenge to the notion that original art is more valuable than reproductions of it. He believed copies had more social value because the art fan could enjoy it anytime and any place of their choosing. This book (the last one Carchia wrote) updates that original work and takes a fascinating exploration into Benjamin’s work. Carchia portrays Benjamin as a highly original thinker but one trapped between dimensions of immanence and transcendence.