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The Six Great Themes of Western Metaphysics and the End of the Middle Ages
Heinz Heimsoeth (1886-1975) is one of the premier historians of philosophy of the twentieth century. Most of his eminent scholarly career focused on modern European philosophers; Immanuel Kant, in particular; and German Idealists, in general. He is perhaps best known for his wide-ranging work, The Six Great Themes of Western Metaphysics and the End of the Middle Ages, which has fascinated students of philosophy and its history since it was first published in 1922.
This book is dramatically different from customary surveys of philosophers and systems of the past. Heimsoeth does not view the history of philosophy primarily as a collection of biographies, or systems, or ultimate solutions; rather he sees it mainly as a history of problems. In reading this book one genuinely encounters what is meant by Problemgeschichte, a longitudinal history of some of the most basic metaphysical issues in philosophy and God and the world, infinity in the finite, soul and external world, being and life, the individual, and understanding and will.
In his introduction Heimsoeth advances a bold thesis about historical periodization, namely that the roots of modern philosophical thought lie not in the Renaissance, as was commonly believed, but rather in the period of late Scholasticism, commonly called the "decline" of Scholasticism. Instead of adopting the usual tripartite schema of ancient, medieval, and modern philosophy, Heimsoeth adopted a two-part schema consisting of ancient and modern ancient metaphysics dominates philosophy right through the period of the High Middle Ages and Scholasticism.
His main thesis is that the roots of modern thought lie specifically in Christianity, especially the nominalism and German mysticism of the late Middle Ages. The great key to Christian thought, as Heimsoeth sees it, lies in the discovery of the soul, of genuine inwardness and spirituality, which stood in dramatic contrast with the ancient concept of soul as simply a kind of "engine" or source of motion for a living body. The six chapters that make up the body of his book set out to demonstrate Heimsoeth's double thesis that modern Western metaphysics is based essentially on the link between the Christian late Middle Ages and modern German philosophy and that both of them stand in opposition to Greek antiquity.
The Six Great Themes is charged with a most useful engagement for the philosophical mind. That it continues to be available in Germany some three-quarters of a century after its original publication and that it has been translated into Spanish, Dutch, and now, English, is a testament to its methodology, periodization, and concept. Heimsoeth enters boldly into the historical drama of Western philosophical thought at its deepest level and tells a story focused not so much on actors as on the plot the great metaphysical questions about philosophy and life.
This book is dramatically different from customary surveys of philosophers and systems of the past. Heimsoeth does not view the history of philosophy primarily as a collection of biographies, or systems, or ultimate solutions; rather he sees it mainly as a history of problems. In reading this book one genuinely encounters what is meant by Problemgeschichte, a longitudinal history of some of the most basic metaphysical issues in philosophy and God and the world, infinity in the finite, soul and external world, being and life, the individual, and understanding and will.
In his introduction Heimsoeth advances a bold thesis about historical periodization, namely that the roots of modern philosophical thought lie not in the Renaissance, as was commonly believed, but rather in the period of late Scholasticism, commonly called the "decline" of Scholasticism. Instead of adopting the usual tripartite schema of ancient, medieval, and modern philosophy, Heimsoeth adopted a two-part schema consisting of ancient and modern ancient metaphysics dominates philosophy right through the period of the High Middle Ages and Scholasticism.
His main thesis is that the roots of modern thought lie specifically in Christianity, especially the nominalism and German mysticism of the late Middle Ages. The great key to Christian thought, as Heimsoeth sees it, lies in the discovery of the soul, of genuine inwardness and spirituality, which stood in dramatic contrast with the ancient concept of soul as simply a kind of "engine" or source of motion for a living body. The six chapters that make up the body of his book set out to demonstrate Heimsoeth's double thesis that modern Western metaphysics is based essentially on the link between the Christian late Middle Ages and modern German philosophy and that both of them stand in opposition to Greek antiquity.
The Six Great Themes is charged with a most useful engagement for the philosophical mind. That it continues to be available in Germany some three-quarters of a century after its original publication and that it has been translated into Spanish, Dutch, and now, English, is a testament to its methodology, periodization, and concept. Heimsoeth enters boldly into the historical drama of Western philosophical thought at its deepest level and tells a story focused not so much on actors as on the plot the great metaphysical questions about philosophy and life.
- GenresPhilosophy
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1922
1 person is currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Heinz Heimsoeth
39 books3 followersHeinz Heimsoeth (12 August 1886, Cologne – 10 September 1975, Cologne) was a German historian of philosophy.
Heimsoeth began his studies at Heidelberg in 1905, but soon transferred to Berlin, where he studied with Wilhelm Dilthey, Alois Riehl, and Ernst Cassirer. Due to his interest in Kant he transferred in 1907 to Marburg, where he studied with Hermann Cohen and Paul Natorp. He graduated in 1911 with a thesis on Descartes. After a year studying in Paris with Henri Bergson he was habilitated with a thesis on Leibniz.
After two years teaching at Marburg, he was appointed Professor at the University of Königsberg in 1923. In 1931 he transferred to a chair in philosophy at Cologne.
After the Nazi seizure of power in 1933 Heimsoeth himself joined the Nazi Party and was named Dean of his faculty, a position he held again in 1943/44. He became Professor Emeritus in 1954.
Heimsoeth began his studies at Heidelberg in 1905, but soon transferred to Berlin, where he studied with Wilhelm Dilthey, Alois Riehl, and Ernst Cassirer. Due to his interest in Kant he transferred in 1907 to Marburg, where he studied with Hermann Cohen and Paul Natorp. He graduated in 1911 with a thesis on Descartes. After a year studying in Paris with Henri Bergson he was habilitated with a thesis on Leibniz.
After two years teaching at Marburg, he was appointed Professor at the University of Königsberg in 1923. In 1931 he transferred to a chair in philosophy at Cologne.
After the Nazi seizure of power in 1933 Heimsoeth himself joined the Nazi Party and was named Dean of his faculty, a position he held again in 1943/44. He became Professor Emeritus in 1954.
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