Time and Difference

This volume pays tribute to the profound philosophical contributions of Virgil Ciomos, a leading contemporary figure in Romanian philosophy. Time and difference are two central concepts that underlie his bold and original thinking. Ciomos’s innovative approach reveals the presence of a temporal gap through which the transcendental is inscribed within human experience. His extensive reflections on temporality engage deeply with the works of Aristotle and Kant, offering a nuanced examination of time’s complexities. Central to his exploration is the idea that the continuity of time is not anchored in the unity of the ego but rather in the resonance between distinct phases of perception-an insight inspired by Husserl’s radical alterity. This ultimately leads to what Maurice Merleau-Ponty terms the “phenomenological unconscious,” complemented by what Marc Richir calls the “symbolical unconscious,” two concepts that enable Virgil Ciomos to expand his exploration into the field of psychoanalysis. By seamlessly integrating phenomenology and psychoanalysis, Ciomos’s work opens new directions for understanding time and human existence. The collection presented here gathers scholars who engage with his insights, furthering the conversation on how temporal experience shapes our understanding of the self, others, and the world.