Synopses & Reviews
"Skidelsky's study of one of the great neglected twentieth-century theorists of culture and politics is welcome and timely. Subtle, erudite, and penetrating in its insights, Ernst Cassirer: The Last Philosopher of Culture will be compelling to anyone interested in the contradictions of modern culture and the future of liberal values."--John Gray, Emeritus Professor of European Thought, University of London
"It is remarkable that, until now, we have lacked a comprehensive intellectual biography of Ernst Cassirer in English. Skidelsky's accomplished study marvelously fills this void. His writing is refreshingly lucid; he provides a penetrating and insightful reconstruction of Cassirer's intellectual path."--Richard Wolin, author of The Seduction of Unreason
"A major accomplishment and an excellent introduction to Cassirer's philosophy. Most important, Skidelsky shows that Cassirer did not simply align himself with the tradition of German political thought reaching from Humboldt and Goethe to the later Thomas Mann, but that his entire philosophy was actually subservient to the project of rethinking the basis of political liberalism. Skidelsky overturns the widely accepted view that Cassirer was an apolitical epistemologist."--John Michael Krois, author of Cassirer: Symbolic Forms and History
Review
As Edward Skidelsky points out in his magnificent new account of Cassirer's intellectual development, 'cut off from their own religious traditions, yet denied full participation in civic life, assimilated German Jews embraced their host nation's philosophy, literature, and music with a fervour rooted in anxiety.' -- Stephen Gaukroger, Times Literary Supplement Skidelsky gives a close, technical account of the ways in which Cassirer was never just a Marburg School stereotype; but he aligned himself neither with the logical positivists nor with the Heideggerian, existentialist tradition which between them carved up the field of 20th-century philosophy, as they arguably continue to do. -- David Simpson, London Review of Books Skidelsky should be congratulated for presenting us with an extremely readable and compelling account of Cassirer's work, delivering it from the stratospheric abstractness of the Marburg School and revealing a dynamic and engaging thinker who was open to every philosophical innovation. -- Craig Brandist, Radical Philosophy [E]legant prose and clarity in explaining complex ideas. -- Jewish Quarterly When a scholarly commentator on Cassirer suddenly turns against him, we should sit up and pay attention. -- Paul Bishop, Journal of European Studies Edward Skidelsky's Ernst Cassirer: The Last Philosopher of Culture is a much-needed critical overview of Cassirer's life and work from a contemporary Anglophone perspective. -- Russell B. Goodman, Metaphilosophy [This] is surely the best one-volume intellectual portrait of Cassirer one could hope to read in the English language. -- Peter E. Gordon, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews Ernst Cassirer was a pivotal figure for a generation of philosophers, and his evolving application of Kant to the problems of philosophy is overdue for a serious revival of interest. Skidelsky does yeoman's work here in sifting through Cassirer's work in relation to the conflicting tensions of positivism and the phenomenological turn in Continental philosophy. This volume is an apt presentation of the impact of theoretical differences upon a whole host of philosophical stances. Further, Skidelsky's self-proclaimed skepticism of the extent to which Cassirer was able to eventually defend his metaphysical and political positions is refreshing. -- R. E. Kraft, Choice
Review
"As Edward Skidelsky points out in his magnificent new account of Cassirer's intellectual development, 'cut off from their own religious traditions, yet denied full participation in civic life, assimilated German Jews embraced their host nation's philosophy, literature, and music with a fervour rooted in anxiety.'"--Stephen Gaukroger, Times Literary Supplement
Review
"Skidelsky gives a close, technical account of the ways in which Cassirer was never just a Marburg School stereotype; but he aligned himself neither with the logical positivists nor with the Heideggerian, existentialist tradition which between them carved up the field of 20th-century philosophy, as they arguably continue to do."--David Simpson, London Review of Books
Review
"Skidelsky should be congratulated for presenting us with an extremely readable and compelling account of Cassirer's work, delivering it from the stratospheric abstractness of the Marburg School and revealing a dynamic and engaging thinker who was open to every philosophical innovation."--Craig Brandist, Radical Philosophy
Review
"[E]legant prose and clarity in explaining complex ideas."--Jewish Quarterly
Review
"When a scholarly commentator on Cassirer suddenly turns against him, we should sit up and pay attention."--Paul Bishop, Journal of European Studies
Review
Edward Skidelsky's Ernst Cassirer: The Last Philosopher of Culture is a much-needed critical overview of Cassirer's life and work from a contemporary Anglophone perspective. Paul Bishop - Journal of European Studies
Review
[This] is surely the best one-volume intellectual portrait of Cassirer one could hope to read in the English language. -- Peter E. Gordon, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
Review
Ernst Cassirer was a pivotal figure for a generation of philosophers, and his evolving application of Kant to the problems of philosophy is overdue for a serious revival of interest. Skidelsky does yeoman's work here in sifting through Cassirer's work in relation to the conflicting tensions of positivism and the phenomenological turn in Continental philosophy. This volume is an apt presentation of the impact of theoretical differences upon a whole host of philosophical stances. Further, Skidelsky's self-proclaimed skepticism of the extent to which Cassirer was able to eventually defend his metaphysical and political positions is refreshing. Peter E. Gordon - Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
Review
Skidelsky's book is a must read for those interested in the history of ideas in general and for academic philosophers in particular. Indeed, philosophers, particularly of the Anglo-American variety, will find this book especially enlightening. R. E. Kraft - Choice
Review
[E]legant prose and clarity in explaining complex ideas. Craig Brandist - Radical Philosophy
Review
When a scholarly commentator on Cassirer suddenly turns against him, we should sit up and pay attention. Jewish Quarterly
Review
[This] is surely the best one-volume intellectual portrait of Cassirer one could hope to read in the English language. Russell B. Goodman - Metaphilosophy
Review
and#160;andldquo;Insightful, interesting, and sophisticated,and#160;Dreamland of Humanistsand#160;not only contributes to our individual and collective knowledge of the Warburg school but it sheds new light on the intellectual and political struggles and ultimately tragic fate of Weimar culture as a whole. I would go so far as to state that this is a work that I have been waiting for.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Dreamland of Humanists is a deeply researched, well-structured, and elegantly written work of history that brings to life the city of Hamburg, a place that, thanks to its unique Hanseatic economic and political traditions, served as a welcome home for the Warburg Library and the three German Jewish intellectuals most closely associated with its name. Levine should be commended.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;From its inception in the early 1900s to its relocation to London in 1933, the Warburg Library in Hamburg was a symbol of holistic cultural study and humanistic learning, while the men most closely associated with the Libraryandmdash;Aby Warburg, Erwin Panofsky, and Ernst Cassirerandmdash;were vital to the symbolic turn that marked so much of twentieth-century thought.and#160;Emily Levine skillfully weaves together three men, a library, and a city in this compelling study of a crucial moment in modern intellectual history.and#160;She significantly enhances our understanding of the ideas and the shared urban and institutional context of these pivotal thinkers, while recasting Weimar culture in light of a shifting focus from the capital to Germanyandrsquo;s andlsquo;secondandrsquo; city.andrdquo;
Review
"A thoughtful and massively researched book. . .and#160; . One learns a lot and is left with a lot to ponder."
Review
"In arguing for the importance of place and social setting in the formation of ideas, Levine crosses as many scholarly disciplines as Aby Warbug's Library of the Science of Culture did in its heyday. . . . Levine shows how crucially time, place, and people can affect what we finally study and ponder; but in the end, if we are lucky, we all make our own Dreamland of Humanists with the materials at hand."
Review
andldquo;If there is any example of an intellectual history with its feet on the ground, then it would be Levineandrsquo;s thoroughly researched and beautifully told story of the Warburg library. More than a book about a place, an institution, and a handful of intellectuals, Dreamland of Humanists is an unparalleled geography of twentieth century intellectual life, and a key to its countless codes and mysteries.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Levine gets it right. Her accounts are characterized by an impressive intellectual reach and stupendous scholarship. . . . Levine offers more than a contribution to the cultural and intellectual history of twentieth-century Germany, the Weimar period, or the development of the disciplines of art history, cultural history, and philosophy. Dreamland of Humanists is an examination into the principal conditions under which great ideas can thriveandmdash;anywhere in the world.andrdquo;
Synopsis
This is the first English-language intellectual biography of the German-Jewish philosopher Ernst Cassirer (1874-1945), a leading figure on the Weimar intellectual scene and one of the last and finest representatives of the liberal-idealist tradition. Edward Skidelsky traces the development of Cassirer's thought in its historical and intellectual setting. He presents Cassirer, the author of The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms, as a defender of the liberal ideal of culture in an increasingly fragmented world, and as someone who grappled with the opposing forces of scientific positivism and romantic vitalism. Cassirer's work can be seen, Skidelsky argues, as offering a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict between the "two cultures" of science and the humanities--and between the analytic and continental traditions in philosophy. The first comprehensive study of Cassirer in English in two decades, this book will be of great interest to analytic and continental philosophers, intellectual historians, political and cultural theorists, and historians of twentieth-century Germany.
Synopsis
"Skidelsky's study of one of the great neglected twentieth-century theorists of culture and politics is welcome and timely. Subtle, erudite, and penetrating in its insights,
Ernst Cassirer: The Last Philosopher of Culture will be compelling to anyone interested in the contradictions of modern culture and the future of liberal values."
--John Gray, Emeritus Professor of European Thought, University of London"It is remarkable that, until now, we have lacked a comprehensive intellectual biography of Ernst Cassirer in English. Skidelsky's accomplished study marvelously fills this void. His writing is refreshingly lucid; he provides a penetrating and insightful reconstruction of Cassirer's intellectual path."--Richard Wolin, author of The Seduction of Unreason
"A major accomplishment and an excellent introduction to Cassirer's philosophy. Most important, Skidelsky shows that Cassirer did not simply align himself with the tradition of German political thought reaching from Humboldt and Goethe to the later Thomas Mann, but that his entire philosophy was actually subservient to the project of rethinking the basis of political liberalism. Skidelsky overturns the widely accepted view that Cassirer was an apolitical epistemologist."--John Michael Krois, author of Cassirer: Symbolic Forms and History
Synopsis
This is the first English-language intellectual biography of the German-Jewish philosopher Ernst Cassirer (1874-1945), a leading figure on the Weimar intellectual scene and one of the last and finest representatives of the liberal-idealist tradition. Edward Skidelsky traces the development of Cassirer's thought in its historical and intellectual setting. He presents Cassirer, the author of The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms, as a defender of the liberal ideal of culture in an increasingly fragmented world, and as someone who grappled with the opposing forces of scientific positivism and romantic vitalism. Cassirer's work can be seen, Skidelsky argues, as offering a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict between the "two cultures" of science and the humanities--and between the analytic and continental traditions in philosophy. The first comprehensive study of Cassirer in English in two decades, this book will be of great interest to analytic and continental philosophers, intellectual historians, political and cultural theorists, and historians of twentieth-century Germany.
Synopsis
This is the first English-language intellectual biography of the German-Jewish philosopher Ernst Cassirer (1874-1945), a leading figure on the Weimar intellectual scene and one of the last and finest representatives of the liberal-idealist tradition. Edward Skidelsky traces the development of Cassirer's thought in its historical and intellectual setting. He presents Cassirer, the author of The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms, as a defender of the liberal ideal of culture in an increasingly fragmented world, and as someone who grappled with the opposing forces of scientific positivism and romantic vitalism. Cassirer's work can be seen, Skidelsky argues, as offering a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict between the "two cultures" of science and the humanities--and between the analytic and continental traditions in philosophy. The first comprehensive study of Cassirer in English in two decades, this book will be of great interest to analytic and continental philosophers, intellectual historians, political and cultural theorists, and historians of twentieth-century Germany.
Synopsis
"Skidelsky's study of one of the great neglected twentieth-century theorists of culture and politics is welcome and timely. Subtle, erudite, and penetrating in its insights,
Ernst Cassirer: The Last Philosopher of Culture will be compelling to anyone interested in the contradictions of modern culture and the future of liberal values."--John Gray, Emeritus Professor of European Thought, University of London
"It is remarkable that, until now, we have lacked a comprehensive intellectual biography of Ernst Cassirer in English. Skidelsky's accomplished study marvelously fills this void. His writing is refreshingly lucid; he provides a penetrating and insightful reconstruction of Cassirer's intellectual path."--Richard Wolin, author of The Seduction of Unreason
"A major accomplishment and an excellent introduction to Cassirer's philosophy. Most important, Skidelsky shows that Cassirer did not simply align himself with the tradition of German political thought reaching from Humboldt and Goethe to the later Thomas Mann, but that his entire philosophy was actually subservient to the project of rethinking the basis of political liberalism. Skidelsky overturns the widely accepted view that Cassirer was an apolitical epistemologist."--John Michael Krois, author of Cassirer: Symbolic Forms and History
Synopsis
Deemed by Heinrich Heine a city of merchants where poets go to die, Hamburg was an improbable setting for a major intellectual movement. Yet it was there, at the end of World War I, at a new university in this commercial center, that a trio of twentieth-century pioneers in the humanities emerged. Working side by side, Aby Warburg, Ernst Cassirer, and Erwin Panofsky developed new avenues in art history, cultural history, and philosophy, changing the course of cultural and intellectual history in Weimar Germany and throughout the world.
In Dreamland of Humanists, Emily J. Levine considers not just these men, but the historical significance of the time and place where their ideas took form. Shedding light on the origins of their work on the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, Levine clarifies the social, political, and economic pressures faced by German-Jewish scholars on the periphery of Germanyandrsquo;s intellectual world. By examining the role that context plays in our analysis of ideas, Levine confirms that great ideasandmdash;like great intellectualsandmdash;must come from somewhere.and#160;
About the Author
Edward Skidelsky is lecturer in philosophy at the University of Exeter, and a regular contributor to the British national press, including "Prospect", the "Daily Telegraph", and the N"ew Statesman".
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Preface
Acknowledgments
and#160;
INTRODUCTION Dreamland of Humanists
1 Culture, Commerce, and the City
2 Warburgand#8217;s Renaissance and the Things in Between
3 University as and#147;Gateway to the Worldand#8221;
4 Warburg, Cassirer, and the Conditions of Reason
5 Socrates in Hamburg? Panofsky and the Economics of Scholarship
6 Iconology and the Hamburg School
7 Private Jews, Public Germans
8 Cassirerand#8217;s Cosmopolitan Nationalism
9 The Enlightened Rector and the Politics of Enlightenment
10 The Hamburg America Line: Exiles as Exports
EPILOGUE and#160;Nachleben of an Idea
and#160;
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index