German Philosophy and Politics

Description

This book gives the unprofessional reader a succinct notion of the development of classic German philosophy from Kant to Hegel. Technical details are omitted, while the ideas that are significant for the history of culture are emphasized. It shows how German thought took shape in the struggle for German nationality against the Napoleonic menace, and how profoundly that crisis affected the philosophy of morals, of the state, and of history which has since that time penetrated into the common consciousness of Germany. Incidentally it makes clear how superficial is the current accounting for the contemporary attitude of intellectual Germany by reference to Nietzsche, etc., since that attitude is shown to have its basis in the older idealistic philosophy. CONTENTS I German Philosophy : The Two Worlds – 3 II German Moral and Political Philosophy – 47 III The Germanic Philosophy of History – 91 Index – 133