Resisting Nihilism: The Motif of Entwurzelung in Jonas’ Early Writings

This chapter sets the stage for an investigation of Jonas’ philosophical trajectory through the prism of uprootedness and traces its origins in his earlier works. It is argued that Jonas’ thought can be broadly characterized as a response to the philosophical and political rootlessness embodied in Diasporic Judaism and Gnosticism in the first phase and evolving into a philosophical endeavor aimed at reconciling humanity and nature in the second phase. Jonas’ proactive Zionism in his early writings is seen as a strategy for confronting the abyss and combating nihilism, characterized as metaphysical rootlessness leading to ethical and political irresponsibility. The chapter outlines its structure, beginning with Jonas’ engagement against uprootedness through his early Zionist writings and his historical interpretation of the Prophets; it then examines his account of Gnosticism as a radical form of exile. In conclusion, this chapter illuminates Jonas’ thought, characterized by a deep belonging to this world, and highlights the nuanced balance of his philosophy between politics and philosophy. His stance is marked by anti-utopian and anti-messianic attributes that not only challenge notions of an ontological and ethical void, but also raise questions about the fundamental concept of politics itself.