Feuerbach

by Marx W. Wartofsky

Feuerbach is now recognized as a central figure in the history of nineteenth-century thought. He was one of Hegel's most influential he dominated German radical philosophy in the 1840s and was the leader of the Young Hegelians; his 'anthropological' critique of Hegel's idealism decisively influences the materialism and humanism of Marx and Engels; his critique of religion pointed the way for the philosophers of religion; and his psychological analyses found a place in Freudian thought and the existential and phenomenological traditions. In this 1977 text, Professor Wartofsky wishes to go beyond this conventional view to establish Feuerbach as much more than a transitional figure between Hegel and Marx or an influence on important later developments. He seriously considers Feuerbach's philosophy on its own terms and seeks to demonstrate its continuing importance. He therefore traces Feuerbach's development in detail, emphasizing its dialectical character, and finds fundamental originality in his epistemology.

Genres: Philosophy

460 pages, Paperback

First published August 26, 1977

Reviews

[Titus Hjelm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first serious philosophy book that I've read in a while. It was also an exercise in slow reading. It is a 'major' work in the sense that Wartofsky does a comprehensive overview and analysis of Feuerbach development from idealims to materialism. His reading is very charitable, even when Feuerbach does not seem to make much sense. I learned a lot. Yet, at the same time, Wartofsky's treatment of Feuerbach's critique of religion as a minor side story in his philosophical development is a disappointment. Please check out the blog I wrote about the topic here: https://blogs.helsinki.fi/thjelm/