本論文以梅爾維爾的《白鯨記》文本為研究中心，探索德希達理論中的存有力量；依海德格所定義的存在觀點，闡明《白鯨記》中生命的多元性。此處界定海德格式的存在論述，是為了建立出:自我的存在如何在生命進程中，辨識出己之存在的在場與存有之間，所共同享有與不同擁有的特性。
論文總共分四章，在導論與第一章中，闡明文學行為(閱讀與寫作)，如何產生虛擬現實及真實現實。進一步以虛擬現實中角色以實瑪利的在場，於讀者閱讀時產生我即是彼的想像，在閱讀置換中，讀者領悟到在場的必然，是源於存有的在場與不在場。此時，作者梅爾維爾的敘事形式，使得作者的地位與存有的地位產生平行，作者書寫的自我指涉，與德希達文學理論中的大書產生關連性。
第二章中，採用傅柯的理論，討論《白鯨記》中亞哈船長的瘋狂是如何建構出其權力，亞哈的權力主要源自其對於主體性的追尋。第三章中，採用薩伊德的美國帝國主義理論，來探討《白鯨記》中白鯨以及皮考克船的文學隱喻。此一文學隱喻可以視為政治方面的法西斯主義以及美國帝國主義的縮影；同時探討了捕鯨船建立的權力空間是全球化的標誌，也探討了政治權力與文化權力的關聯性。
第四章中，採用阿岡本的理論探討在《白鯨記》中因例外狀態的建構而產生的裸命，使用在誓約形成法之力量下的裸命，來探討人的主權性其實是關於對解放自我存在的渴望。為了解放書中自我存在的困局，必須要回到文學行為中的讀者解讀。另外採用阿岡本的彌賽亞議題來創建閱讀中的彌賽亞時間，當彌賽亞時間在文學行為完成時出現，則產生了當下的時空。當下的時空完成了存有為主體性的生命，此一生命便是合一的生命，在文學行為中的虛擬現實與真實現實的相遇，產出了時間的意義性—成為存有。
關鍵詞:存有、在場、生命、權力、瘋狂、彌賽亞時間

My thesis aims to take Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick to explore Jacques Derrida’s theory to elucidate the power of Being. I take Martin Heidegger’s definition of the notion of Dasein to demonstrate the relevance of “presence,” which I use in my thesis to illustrate the multiplicity of life in Moby-Dick. I take Heidegger’s assertion on presence to construct the idea of self-presence and further reveal how the features of self-presence are distinguished from and related to those of Being.
The thesis consists of four chapters. In the Introduction and Chapter 1, I illustrate how the literary act (reading and writing) generates a virtual reality in the reader that exists concurrently with the reader’s actual reality in life. I further take Ishmael’s presence in the virtual reality to expound that the reader generates the imaginary life form of “I am,” the character Ishmael. In the process of replacing the presence-identity, the reader comes to understand that the necessity of the presence is derived from the absence and existence of Being. The narrative form that Melville creates aligns the position of the author to be similar to that of Being. The self-referential quality that Melville creates in Moby-Dick generates a relationship with the only one book that is mentioned in Derrida’s Writing and Difference.
In Chapter 2, I take Michel Foucault’s theory to discuss how the madness of Captain Ahab constructs his power in Moby-Dick. Ahab’s power originates from his searching for subjectivity. In Chapter 3, I use Edward W. Said’s discussion on American imperialism to illustrate the literary metaphor of Moby Dick and the Pequod. In the political aspect, the literary metaphor can be viewed as the epitome of fascism and American imperialism. Concurrently, I explore how the power-space that the whaling ships construct marks the phenomenon of globalization. I also discuss the relations with cultural power and political power.
In the fourth chapter, I take Giorgio Agamben’s theory to discuss the bare life, which is generated from the state of exception. I use the power of the law formed by the vow on the Pequod to discuss how the bare life pertains to the sovereignty of mankind. The sovereignty of life generates from the desire to liberate the self-presence. To liberate this predicament in Moby-Dick, I elaborate on my interpretation of the literary act. I take Agamben’s messianic issues to create messianic time in reading. This messianic time appears when the literary act has been completed, which generates the time-space of the now. This fulfills the life form that employs the Being of the subject within-life-itself. This is the oneness of life. The virtual reality and actual reality that interact during the literary act give birth to the significance of time as being the Being.

Keywords: Being, presence, life, power, madness, messianic time

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