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I Am an Impure Thinker
I Am an Impure Thinker, a collection of essays, is a book one can read as an introduction to Rosenstock-Huessy's thought. He is an "impure thinker" because he refuses to stay within any of the bounds set by academic tradition. He is also impure because he believes that thought must be accompanied by passionate convictions and engagement, that sterile intellect is a disease. The editors have selected the essays to reflect the author's diversity. The selection is from Rosenstock-Huessy's unpublished writings, with the exception of Chapters 1 and 11. While apparently unrelated, the essays nevertheless have an underlying unity, which runs through his discussion of the concepts of William James, the Gospels, the Egyptian symbol of Ka, and other uncommon sources. Together the essays contribute to the discovery of a post-theological language. This book is an answer to Dietrich Bonhoeffer's How can we speak of God to modern man who "has come of age?" Eberhardt Bethge, Bonhoeffer's close friend, editor, and biographer "Rosenstock-Huessy refuses to do anything in the usual way. But you may well turn yourself over to him. Behind everything stands the committed responsibility of a great teacher who opens our eyes."
243 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1969
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About the author
Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy
68 books34 followersEugen Rosenstock-Hüssy (July 6, 1888 – February 24, 1973) was a historian and social philosopher, whose work spanned the disciplines of history, theology, sociology, linguistics and beyond. Born in Berlin, Germany into a non-observant Jewish family, the son of a prosperous banker, he converted to Christianity in his late teens, and thereafter the interpretation and reinterpretation of Christianity was a consistent theme in his writings. He met and married Margrit Hüssy in 1914. In 1925, the couple legally combined their names. They had a son, Hans, in 1921.
Rosenstock-Huessy served as an officer in the German army during World War I. His experience caused him to reexamine the foundations of liberal Western culture. He then pursued an academic career in Germany as a specialist in medieval law, which was disrupted by the rise of Nazism. In 1933, after Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, he emigrated to the United States where he began a new academic career, initially at Harvard University and then at Dartmouth College, where he taught from 1935 to 1957.
Although never part of the mainstream of intellectual discussion during his lifetime, his work drew the attention of W. H. Auden, Harold Berman, Martin Marty, Lewis Mumford, Page Smith, and others. Rosenstock-Huessy may be best known as the close friend of and correspondent with Franz Rosenzweig. Their exchange of letters is considered by scholars of religion and theology to be indispensable in the study of the modern encounter of Jews with Christianity. In his work, Rosenstock-Huessy discussed speech and language as the dominant shaper of human character and abilities in every social context. He is viewed as belonging to a group of thinkers who revived post-Nietzschean religious thought.
Rosenstock-Huessy served as an officer in the German army during World War I. His experience caused him to reexamine the foundations of liberal Western culture. He then pursued an academic career in Germany as a specialist in medieval law, which was disrupted by the rise of Nazism. In 1933, after Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, he emigrated to the United States where he began a new academic career, initially at Harvard University and then at Dartmouth College, where he taught from 1935 to 1957.
Although never part of the mainstream of intellectual discussion during his lifetime, his work drew the attention of W. H. Auden, Harold Berman, Martin Marty, Lewis Mumford, Page Smith, and others. Rosenstock-Huessy may be best known as the close friend of and correspondent with Franz Rosenzweig. Their exchange of letters is considered by scholars of religion and theology to be indispensable in the study of the modern encounter of Jews with Christianity. In his work, Rosenstock-Huessy discussed speech and language as the dominant shaper of human character and abilities in every social context. He is viewed as belonging to a group of thinkers who revived post-Nietzschean religious thought.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 8, 2018
No time to review, but for now, I'll just quote Eugene Peterson about this book:
"Not a book strictly about prayer, but about language and the various ways we use and misuse it. I have learned as much indirectly from this German who immigrated to America, this Jew who converted to Christianity, than from most who write directly on prayer" (17, Take & Read: Spiritual Reading, An Annotated List).
You are not likely to read anything else like this book, unless its another Rosenstock-Huessy book.
"Not a book strictly about prayer, but about language and the various ways we use and misuse it. I have learned as much indirectly from this German who immigrated to America, this Jew who converted to Christianity, than from most who write directly on prayer" (17, Take & Read: Spiritual Reading, An Annotated List).
You are not likely to read anything else like this book, unless its another Rosenstock-Huessy book.
September 19, 2020
Os livros de Rosenstock deveriam ser traduzidos para o português. Somente a Origem da Linguagem foi traduzido.
É muito pouco para se tirar proveito deste gigante.
Temas sobre a linguagem, família, discurso são abordados com maestria no I am an impure Thinker. Entretanto, a profundidade maior será encontrada no Out of Revolution, uma obra de arte.
A genialidade do livro I am an Impure Thinker pode ser resumida:
“Truth is divine and has been divinely revealed-credo ut intelligum.
Truth is pure and can be scientifically stated - cogito ergo sum.
Truth is vital and must be socially represented - Respondeo etsi mutabor.
Tanto as máximas de Santo Anselmo quanto de Descartes não possuem mais eficácia.
A proposta respondeo etsi mutator ou I respond although I will be changed poderá ser uma nova orientação para o mundo agnóstico?
A sutileza da substituição do therefore por although poderá ser a chave para a mudança numa sociedade?
Outras considerações sucintas.
O simbolismo do casamento demonstrado no capítulo sobre o Tribalismo é sensacional. Como o significado do ritual da tribo para o casamento possui a mesma ideia de Marcos 8:9. Impressionante.
A teoria dos 4 fases do discurso de Rosenstock, Fiativum (Tu), Subjectivum(I), perfectum (we) e abstractum (he) está tão relacionada com a educação das crianças que é inacreditável como a teoria passa despercebida pelo método atual de educação. “God spake to Moses.”
E a sugestão de ouro ao complemento da educação: “we shall know why a boy of 10 should learn by rote, why a boy of 16 must listen to great poetry, why a man of 20 should cultivate his feelings by devoted service in a great cause. Inspiration needs our senses.” Orientação formidável.
When God speaks, he creates.”
Por fim, ele reforça, dialogando com Voegelin, o Salto no Ser:
“Logic deals with the animal in us, not with the brothers of the logos, the “Word”, who are irrepeatable, who live once and never again. We owe Jesus our uniqueness.”
Bom, uma releitura é fundamental. Rosenstock é um gênio.
É muito pouco para se tirar proveito deste gigante.
Temas sobre a linguagem, família, discurso são abordados com maestria no I am an impure Thinker. Entretanto, a profundidade maior será encontrada no Out of Revolution, uma obra de arte.
A genialidade do livro I am an Impure Thinker pode ser resumida:
“Truth is divine and has been divinely revealed-credo ut intelligum.
Truth is pure and can be scientifically stated - cogito ergo sum.
Truth is vital and must be socially represented - Respondeo etsi mutabor.
Tanto as máximas de Santo Anselmo quanto de Descartes não possuem mais eficácia.
A proposta respondeo etsi mutator ou I respond although I will be changed poderá ser uma nova orientação para o mundo agnóstico?
A sutileza da substituição do therefore por although poderá ser a chave para a mudança numa sociedade?
Outras considerações sucintas.
O simbolismo do casamento demonstrado no capítulo sobre o Tribalismo é sensacional. Como o significado do ritual da tribo para o casamento possui a mesma ideia de Marcos 8:9. Impressionante.
A teoria dos 4 fases do discurso de Rosenstock, Fiativum (Tu), Subjectivum(I), perfectum (we) e abstractum (he) está tão relacionada com a educação das crianças que é inacreditável como a teoria passa despercebida pelo método atual de educação. “God spake to Moses.”
E a sugestão de ouro ao complemento da educação: “we shall know why a boy of 10 should learn by rote, why a boy of 16 must listen to great poetry, why a man of 20 should cultivate his feelings by devoted service in a great cause. Inspiration needs our senses.” Orientação formidável.
When God speaks, he creates.”
Por fim, ele reforça, dialogando com Voegelin, o Salto no Ser:
“Logic deals with the animal in us, not with the brothers of the logos, the “Word”, who are irrepeatable, who live once and never again. We owe Jesus our uniqueness.”
Bom, uma releitura é fundamental. Rosenstock é um gênio.
September 23, 2010
This is the first ERH book I read, as recommended by James Jordan. A tremendous introduction to the mind of ERH.
This is a must read for serious thinkers.
This is a must read for serious thinkers.
September 15, 2010
I've been reading bits and pieces of this for a while, but recently dipped back in with more attention and have been blown away by a couple of pieces especially.
May 10, 2012
Bite-size ERH; still quite a mouthful.
January 24, 2016
Excellent.
August 15, 2014
A great introduction to the mind of ERH.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews