What's That Smell: A Philosophy of the Olfactory by Simon Hajdini, a senior research associate in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, is part of a series of contemporary philosophical texts that explore such themes as subjectivity, reality, and ethics. This particular book is a treasure trove of wide-ranging intellectual investigation comprising four essays about that most neglected of the senses: the olfactory, or our sense of smell.
Starting from the premise that Indo-European languages lack a vocabulary to describe the sense of smell, this collection of essays, introduced by philosopher and cultural critic Slavoj Žižek, investigates the potential implications of that absence. This turns out to be a fairly meaty enterprise, as indicated by an observation in the first essay: "Therefore, the problem of naming is not just any philosophical problem, but rather one that is central to classical ontology."
One of Hajdini's strengths is his ability to deftly weave the consideration of the topic with a wealth of discourse from philosophy, literature, psychoanalysis, and other fields. What's That Smell? challenges readers to reflect on the cultural and social constructs that inform our olfactory experiences.
Overall, Simon Hajdini's work is a thought-provoking read that reconsiders the often-overlooked sense of smell and its profound philosophical implications. It is a welcome complement to the burgeoning, multifaceted field of sensory studies and one that invites further exploration and discourse. --Elizabeth DeNoma, executive editor, DeNoma Literary Services, Seattle, Wash.