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The Philosopher of Reality: Readings of Eric Voegelin
Eric Voegelin is a towering figure in the intellectual landscape of the twentieth
century. His work ranges from legal studies to philosophy, from historical studies
to theology, from constitutional theory to literary studies, from a philosophical
anthropology to a theory of empires. No one else in our time has, by scholarship,
covered such a wide range of subjects.
In this book, Voegelin’s motives for this prodigious pursuit are spelled out. There
was, first, the eclipse of reality brought about by the ideologies reigning supreme
in the modern age and sharply diagnosed by him. Secondly, the atrocities
committed by all those who wished to impose their false, “second reality”, as he
called it, on all humankind. And, thirdly, his quest for truth, to resurrect all the
lost knowledge, in its entire range, on the veritable form of human existence.
While illuminating significant parts of his work, the interpretations brought
together here bring to the fore the eminent role of Voegelin as a moral and political
throughout his life, he attracted generations of students as an outstanding
teacher, and, now, through his writings, he speaks to us and the innumerable
generations that will come after us, who face a very uncertain future. His voice
strikes at times as a prophetic one. It is a merit of the contributions to this book
that they convey, in various ways, this idea.
century. His work ranges from legal studies to philosophy, from historical studies
to theology, from constitutional theory to literary studies, from a philosophical
anthropology to a theory of empires. No one else in our time has, by scholarship,
covered such a wide range of subjects.
In this book, Voegelin’s motives for this prodigious pursuit are spelled out. There
was, first, the eclipse of reality brought about by the ideologies reigning supreme
in the modern age and sharply diagnosed by him. Secondly, the atrocities
committed by all those who wished to impose their false, “second reality”, as he
called it, on all humankind. And, thirdly, his quest for truth, to resurrect all the
lost knowledge, in its entire range, on the veritable form of human existence.
While illuminating significant parts of his work, the interpretations brought
together here bring to the fore the eminent role of Voegelin as a moral and political
throughout his life, he attracted generations of students as an outstanding
teacher, and, now, through his writings, he speaks to us and the innumerable
generations that will come after us, who face a very uncertain future. His voice
strikes at times as a prophetic one. It is a merit of the contributions to this book
that they convey, in various ways, this idea.
156 pages, Paperback
Published November 17, 2025
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