Contagion: Sexuality, Disease, and Death in German Idealism and Romanticism

Although the Romantic Age is usually thought of as idealizing nature as the source of birth, life, and creativity, David Farrell Krell focuses on the preoccupation of three key German Romantic thinkers - Novalis, Schelling, and Hegel - with nature's destructive powers: contagion, disease, and death. Krell brings to light little-known texts by each writer that develop theories about the intertwined beneficent and maleficent aspects of nature. Krell's investigations reveal that the forces of sexuality and life are also seen as the carriers of disease and death. The insights of Novalis, Schelling, and Hegel offer surprisingly relevant perspectives for contemporary science and for our own thinking - in an age of contagion.

Krell writes here with a brilliance of style that few otherphilosophers can match. -- John Sallis

Although the RomanticAge is usually thought of as idealizing nature as the source of birth, life, andcreativity, David Farrell Krell focuses on the preoccupation of three key GermanRomantic thinkers -- Novalis, Schelling, and Hegel -- with nature's destructivepowers -- contagion, disease, and death.

"Krell writes here with a brilliance of style that few other philosophers can match." --John Sallis

Although the Romantic Age is usually thought of as idealizing nature as the source of birth, life, and creativity, David Farrell Krell focuses on the preoccupation of three key German Romantic thinkers--Novalis, Schelling, and Hegel--with nature's destructive powers--contagion, disease, and death.

David Farrell Krell is Professor of Philosophy at DePaul University. Among his books are Infectious Nietzsche, Daimon Life: Heidegger and Life-Philosophy, and Son of Spirit: A Novel.