Author Description
Weltschmerz Is A Study Of The Pessimism That Dominated German Philosophy In The Second Half Of The Nineteenth Century. Pessimism Was Essentially The Theory That Life Is Not Worth Living. This Theory Was Introduced Into German Philosophy By Schopenhauer, Whose Philosophy Became Very Fashionable In The 1860s. Frederick C. Beiser Examines The Intense And Long Controversy That Arose From Schopenhauer's Pessimism, Which Changed The Agenda Of Philosophy In Germany Away From The Logic Of The Sciences And Toward An Examination Of The Value Of Life. He Examines The Major Defenders Of Pessimism (philipp Mainländer, Eduard Von Hartmann And Julius Bahnsen) And Its Chief Critics, Especially Eugen Dühring And The Neo-kantians. The Pessimism Dispute Of The Second Half Of The Century Has Been Largely Ignored In Secondary Literature And This Book Is A First Attempt Since The 1880s To Re-examine It And To Analyze The Important Philosophical Issues Raised By It. The Dispute Concerned The Most Fundamental Philosophical Issue Of Them All: Whether Life Is Worth Living.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the intellectual history and philosophical implications of the pessimism movement that dominated German thought during the latter half of the nineteenth century. Professor Frederick C. Beiser, a scholar of German idealism, utilizes historical texts and philosophical treatises to reconstruct the intense debate surrounding the value of life. He argues that this period marked a significant shift in the German philosophical agenda, moving away from scientific logic toward existential inquiries regarding the worth of human existence.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of Arthur Schopenhauer's influence on mid-nineteenth-century German thought
- Detailed examinations of key pessimist figures including Philipp Mainländer, Eduard von Hartmann, and Julius Bahnsen
- Critical responses from contemporaries such as Eugen Dühring and the Neo-Kantians
- A historical recovery of the 'Pessimism Dispute' that has been largely overlooked in modern secondary literature
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the German philosophical tradition and does not provide a comprehensive global history of pessimistic thought
- It does not attempt to resolve the philosophical question of whether life is worth living, but rather analyzes the historical arguments surrounding that question
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students of nineteenth-century German philosophy recognize this work as a significant contribution to a previously neglected area of intellectual history. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the author's meticulous attention to primary source material.
Page Count:
308
Publication Date:
2016-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191081345
ISBN-13:
9780191081347
Philosophy
19th Century
German Philosophy
Pessimism
Philosophy history
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