A Short History of German Philosophy

by Vittorio Hösle, Steven Rendall (Translator)

The story of German philosophy from the Middle Ages to todayThis concise but comprehensive book provides an original history of German-language philosophy from the Middle Ages to today. In an accessible narrative that explains complex ideas in clear language, Vittorio Hösle traces the evolution of German philosophy and describes its central influence on other aspects of German culture, including literature, politics, and science.Starting with the medieval mystic Meister Eckhart, the book addresses the philosophical changes brought about by Luther's Reformation, and then presents a detailed account of the classical age of German philosophy, including the work of Leibniz and Kant; the rise of a new form of humanities in Lessing, Hamann, Herder, and Schiller; the early Romantics; and the Idealists Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel. The following chapters investigate the collapse of the German synthesis in Schopenhauer, Feuerbach, Marx, and Nietzsche. Turning to the twentieth century, the book explores the rise of analytical philosophy in Frege and the Vienna and Berlin circles; the foundation of the historical sciences in Neo-Kantianism and Dilthey; Husserl’s phenomenology and its radical alteration by Heidegger; the Nazi philosophers Gehlen and Schmitt; and the main West German philosophers, including Gadamer, Jonas, and those of the two Frankfurt schools. Arguing that there was a distinctive German philosophical tradition from the mid-eighteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, the book closes by examining why that tradition largely ended in the decades after World War II.A philosophical history remarkable for its scope, brevity, and lucidity, this is an invaluable book for students of philosophy and anyone interested in German intellectual and cultural history.

Genres: Philosophy, History, Germany

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Italian-born German philosopher.

Reviews

[withdrawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quote from the author's preface:

"My interest in the German tradition is not simply historical. I do think that German philosophy was the most productive and original philosophical tradition of modern Europe and that many of its foundational ideas remain valid. What I particularly admire in this philosophical tradition is the way it permeated culture at large, and thus my book often draws connections to other German developments, especially in literature, but occasionally also in the other arts, in science, and in politics. I have now lived long enough in the United States to say that such an interpenetration of general culture and philosophy is alien to this great country."

I am always quite critical of authors who suggest that philosophers are capable of seizing the imaginations of large parts of society. However, it seems that Immanuel Kant did indeed capture many German minds in the late 18th century. Furthermore, the enthusiasm seems to have continued for many years to come including numerous of Kant's successors as purveyors of ideas in German society.

Vittorio Hösle has provided us with a good overview of these ideas, dipping into the main discussions and developing them for the reader. I will point out that he has not written a book for beginners in the concepts of German Idealism. Rather, he wants to work with these concepts to develop his own thesis. To that end, he stays within the realm of philosophical idealists, with the exception of Nietzsche and in more recent times. Nietzsche merits his own chapter although he is outside of the tradition on the basis that he has had such a large effect on the German public. (Included in this effect, apparently, is that Nietzsche is to be blamed for WWII. Who would have guessed that a philosopher could have led to such horror?)

Hösle's exegesis of German philosophy from the late Eighteenth century to the present is clear and interesting, but as indicated, it is not "The Short Introduction to German Philosophy". The author wants to clarify and discuss, not introduce. And he does so quite well, bringing us up to modern times.

But Hösle dismisses much about modern German philosophy because it is is not as ambitious enough. It is, like almost all philosophy today, a realm of specialists. Great conceptualists such as Kant and Hegel are a thing of the past and no longer write for more public consumption, not even for an educated public.

I too would like to bewail that fact. I cannot sit in my local coffee shop with my pot of tea and my Hegel and engage with my neighbours in a lively discussion. Once they see what I'm reading, my fellow patrons flee saying something like, "Boy, is that ever hard. I just read trash." They don't even want to discuss the possibility that Hegel is trash too. Sigh!!!

This is a well written, learned book. I enjoyed it. It is a sad fact that no current society, neither German, nor American, nor French, nor Chinese, nor, alas, Canadian is so inclined. Nor are they willing or able to put the time into becoming enthusiastic about a lot of speculation. People do ask me why I read this stuff and I mumble something about searching for our roots or some such nonsense. Mr. Hösle is disappointed in his world where the latest iPhone is more important than the latest philosophical idea. But at least he earns his living discussing philosophical ideas in a university. I sit alone reading this stuff and never get beyond writing bad reviews for which I may or may not be rewarded with 'Likes'.

All of that aside, if you want an intelligent review of German philosophy, (did I mention that Wittgenstein makes the cut?) read this short book. It's quite enjoyable. I mean that. Really.

[Sijing · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a comprehensive introduction of German philosophy that is motivated by the German spirit, largely composed of German idealism, which could find its roots in Lutheran theology, if I read the author correctly. The author does a fairly good job at staying neutral when critiquing the philosophers and explaining how a certain philosopher is inspired by the previous thinkers and how he influences the following generation of philosophers.
One needs some level of knowledge of the philosophers mentioned; otherwise, it’d be a difficult and probably not very fruitful read.

[Minotaur Mangum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two stars for A History of Philosophy. Three stars for Short. Minus one star for German.

[Tony Gualtieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rather interesting critical perspective on the twisted path of German philosophical development. The author is sympathetic to Christian ethics and while he praises the work of Kant and Hegel, he also identifies their shortcomings. He has little patience for the unproven assertions of Nietzsche and the economic work of Marx. He takes a more balanced view of the 20th century philosophers, but sees the tradition of German thought as being irreparably corrupted by Nazism.

[Adam Carnehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is brilliant. Not only has Hösle given a more than competent historical overview of German philosophy from the Middle Ages to the present day, but he's done it with careful attention to the particular teachings of philosophers themselves, as well as their broader, even contemporary importance—and their shortcomings. On top of all this, his writing is highly entertaining while not being condescending or pretentious.

For the purposes of this work, Hösle defines "German philosophy" basically as philosophizing done in the German language. This excludes such thinkers as Albert the Great in Cologne who wrote in Latin, as well as any twentieth century emigres from Nazi Germany who published in English. Hösle admits that there are numerous shortcomings with his definition, but he doesn't care! He argues that the particular way that Germans philosophized in their own language, from the late Middle Ages until Habermas or Jonas (Hösle doesn't notice any great, living German philosophers today), was distinctly different than philosophy done in English, French, or any other European language. In a sense, German philosophy has a different feel and it's marked by different sensibilities, especially religious (Lutheran) ones. Since Luther (through Kant, but being surpassed by Nietzsche), German philosophy has also been marked by strong ethical considerations and by a non-revolutionary impetus to peaceful, quiet living (also stemming from Luther).

I found that Hösle's chapter on Hegel was thorough and brilliant, and his section on twentieth century philosophers was enormously helpful in navigating very many names and ideas in pre-war Germany (culminating in Husserl and the first Frankfort School), Nazi Germany (Schmitt, Gehlen, Heidegger, etc.), and post-war Germany (the second Frankfort School: Adorno, Apel, etc.).

I'll mention that Hösle is not fond of Nietzsche, though he notes his enormous influence and lasting popularity. Neither is Hösle as enthusiastic about Heidegger, even chastising post-war Christian thinkers for relying so heavily on him, and thereby paving the way for emaciated postmodern theologies. Hösle also argues that both Nietzsche and Heidegger, by their jettisoning of metaphysics and dismissal of ethics, prepared fertile soil for the Nazi philosophy, which discarded Christianity and obviously devalued human life. Nietzsche's rampant anti-Semitism also did nothing but fuel fires already burning in Germany at the turn of the century.

I was very surprised that Hösle left out two key Roman Catholic German philosophers of the last century who are widely respected today: Erich Przywara (1889-1972, Jesuit author of Analogia Entis) and Josef Pieper (1904-1997, author of Leisure: The Basis of Culture). If he did neglect them, it's because they're known primarily as theologians in Anglophone theological circles today. Hösle also could have included the Lutheran Oswald Bayer, who, though is a trained theologian and scholar of Luther, has written extensively on religious philosophy, especially that of Johann Georg Hamann. Bayer might be that one "great" German thinker that Hösle is looking for today.

Finally, I'll end by saying that Hösle's final chapter is hard-hitting and thought provoking. He argues that, because of the "twelve cursed years" (1933-1945), the emigration of German intellectuals to the U.S., and other educational and sociological factors, German universities are in decline and they aren't producing well-rounded thinkers of the kind that Germany is famous for. He doesn't see this reversing anytime soon, but, as the last paragraph of the book suggests, if something should happen which ends our various modern crises such as globalization and our enslavement to technology, perhaps the wellsprings of thought, religion, and culture will be discovered and take hold again.

[Michael Kenan Baldwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable overview of German philosophy, from a veritable linguistic genius. It covers an extraordinary amount of territory and does so from a broadly Hegelian perspective (with extra love for Leibniz & Kant, too). Hosle really dislikes Nietzsche & Heidegger. The result is a broadly rationalist, moderate historicism which isn’t at all hostile to Kantian formalism, and very much enamoured with liberal democracy and liberal but orthodox Christianity. Hosle is also highly pessimistic about the future of German philosophy and academia. Hard to argue with him: he makes a strong case.

[I-kai · Rating 3 out of 5]

definitely deserves a lengthy review - I learned much but I wonder if the book achieved its purpose or was really properly organized. The early chapters up to Hegel were superb. The introduction for the English translation is good and biting. But from the chapter on Marx on I'm less sure of the book's value...

[Relstuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still don't feel very knowledgeable about this, but I know more than I did before.

[Chanhee Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

개론서로는 나쁘지 않지만 분량으로 인해 쉽게 이해하기는 어려운 느낌이 있음

[李倩蓉]

breath of fresh air for me who indulged too much in reducing philosophy to philosophy of language. unapologetically Kantian, the author longs for philosophy that takes ethical grounding, normative validity and systematic theories seriously. it scratches my "reject modernity, embrace tradition" itch.

not so argumentative so as to leave me third wheeling when it came to authors i wasn't familiar with. not so expository so as not to provide a space where i could agree or disagree with his critiques of ideas with which i am very friendly.

overall solid introduction. will eat better and go to the gym so i can hopefully live long enough to learn german.

[Herb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. A little dense, but some moments of clarity.