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 | Ernst Cassirer: |
This is the first English-language intellectual biography of the German-Jewish philosopher Ernst Cassirer (1874-1945), a leading figure on the Weimar intellectual scene and one of the last and finest representatives of the liberal-idealist tradition. Edward Skidelsky traces the development of Cassirer's thought in its historical and intellectual setting. He presents Cassirer, the author of The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms, as a defender of the liberal ideal of culture in an increasingly fragmented world, and as someone who grappled with the opposing forces of scientific positivism and romantic vitalism. Cassirer's work can be seen, Skidelsky argues, as offering a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict between the "two cultures" of science and the humanities--and between the analytic and continental traditions in philosophy. The first comprehensive study of Cassirer in English in two decades, this book will be of great interest to analytic and continental philosophers, intellectual historians, political and cultural theorists, and historians of twentieth-century Germany. Edward Skidelsky is lecturer in philosophy at the University of Exeter and a regular contributor to the British national press, including the Daily Telegraph, the Spectator, and the New Statesman. "Skidelsky gives a close, technical account of the ways in which Cassirer was never just a Marburg School stereotype; but he aligned himself neither with the logical positivists nor with the Heideggerian, existentialist tradition which between them carved up the field of 20th-century philosophy, as they arguably continue to do."--David Simpson, London Review of Books "Ernst Cassirer was a pivotal figure for a generation of philosophers, and his evolving application of Kant to the problems of philosophy is overdue for a serious revival of interest. Skidelsky does yeoman's work here in sifting through Cassirer's work in relation to the conflicting tensions of positivism and the phenomenological turn in Continental philosophy. This volume is an apt presentation of the impact of theoretical differences upon a whole host of philosophical stances. Further, Skidelsky's self-proclaimed skepticism of the extent to which Cassirer was able to eventually defend his metaphysical and political positions is refreshing."--R. E. Kraft, Choice Endorsements: "Skidelsky's study of one of the great neglected twentieth-century theorists of culture and politics is welcome and timely. Subtle, erudite, and penetrating in its insights, Ernst Cassirer: The Last Philosopher of Culture will be compelling to anyone interested in the contradictions of modern culture and the future of liberal values."--John Gray, Emeritus Professor of European Thought, University of London "It is remarkable that, until now, we have lacked a comprehensive intellectual biography of Ernst Cassirer in English. Skidelsky's accomplished study marvelously fills this void. His writing is refreshingly lucid; he provides a penetrating and insightful reconstruction of Cassirer's intellectual path."--Richard Wolin, author of The Seduction of Unreason ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix Subject Areas: | |||||
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