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Critique of Cynical Reason (Theory and History of Literature, Volume 40) Paperback – February 1, 1988

by
Peter Sloterdijk (Author)
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Peter Sloterdijk (Author), Andreas Huyssen (Foreword)
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 600 pages
  • Publisher: Univ Of Minnesota Press; 1 edition (February 1, 1988)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0816615861
  • ISBN-13: 978-0816615865
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.5 x 9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #165,704 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Sloterdijk's critique belongs as much to the genre of Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy as it does to that of Kant's critiques, for his objective is to see human society through his chosen concept rather than simply to explicate the concept in itself. He defines two aspects of cynicism; one, an "enlightened false consciousness," akin to Marx's alienation, which pervades modern society; the other, a species of critical reason first exemplified by Diogenes. Sloterdijk is clearly indebted to Hegel, Nietzsche, and Horkheimer, but his discursive method will appeal to scholars of literary criticism rather than social science. Brent A. Nelson, Univ. of Arkansas at Little Rock Lib.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Sloterdijk confronts nihilism--and has a better idea
By A Customer on June 30, 1998
Format: Paperback
"Mistrust is the intelligence of the disadvantaged," or "In any form of erudition, intelligence risks its life" or "emigration has become a fact of mass psychology"--these are among hundreds of aphoristic statements that make Sloterdijk's wide-ranging studies and well-reasoned observations on cynicism, Diogenes and the search for truth, Nietzsche, Marx, and the contemporary human situation so striking. He's had enough of nihilism (and all its intellectual and industrial applications), and tells you why. And the book's illustrated with extraordinary aptness--everything from medieval woodcuts to Pasolini. In short, he clears a space to think--a rare event. To read a present-day Lucian who can shake hands with Kierkegaard, read this book.
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27 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Fantastic Phenomenology of the Spirit, Like Hegel...
By A Customer on November 10, 1999
Format: Paperback
Sloterdijk adheres to the theories advanced by Immanuel Kant in the Critique of Pure Reason, but begins where Kant left off by exposing the force behind dynamic individualism. In other words, the a priori of Kant becomes the a posteriori here--the experience alone mitigates life. Rather than dwelling endlessly on mathematical knowledge, as Kant did, Sloterdijk's epistemology more nearly resembles David Hume's. Indeed, in shaping his discussion of logical versus factual propositions, knowledge by acquaintance is always knowledge based upon what Hume called "impressions". The 'cynical' aspect of the title derives from the "enlightened false consciousness" Sloterdijk finds in modern society.
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15 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Philosophy at its best.
By kleistj@splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu on October 1, 1997
Format: Paperback
An insightful account of the cynical "Zeitgeist." Sloterdijk's book is-after 15 years-still a fresh wind in the grey landscape of Philosophy. He writes with "verve," thinks wonderfully unsystematic, and says what we all (more or less) think. Highly recommendable to the flexible mind. Juergen Kleist, Plattsburgh, New York
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A long, wild exploration of philosophy, history, the arts, and nearly everything else
By C Hill on November 23, 2014
Format: Paperback
In Critique of Cynical Reason, Peter Sloterdijk offers a critique, elucidation, explication of modern cynicism and its ancient and more respectable counterpart and source--kynicism. First he has to establish that indeed cynicism is such a dominant approach to life and things in our times. If you're like me and have never given much thought to cynicism then this will be a revelation. He will go into detail how cynicism arises and manifests itself in a variety of areas: military, politics/power, religion, sexuality, knowledge, medicine. Contrasting to cynicism is the kynicism as exemplified by Diogenes the dog. This kynicism is characterized by cheeky insolence, making light of all things dead-serious, of power, and those who wield it. It reminds us of the mere animality of man just when man pretends to transcend everything just human.

Things are off to a very slow start though. The first 260 page (pagination of the German edition) "short" part I is rather forgettable and unfocused. Sloterdijk early on defines cynicism unhelpfully as "enlightened false consciousness" this perhaps a kynic definition in itself once we find out that he isn't a Marxist at all. It allows him to go into detail about how enlightenment has presented itself in a variety of areas as well as the development of consciousness to a polemic consciousness. Once we get to the massive part II things come into focus. It consists of 4 parts--the physiognomic (yes, physiognomic), phenomenological, logical, and historical main parts. It is rather surprising to find a 200-page part on history since for the previous 700 pages we've already been dealing extensively with history as Sloterdijk enjoys nothing more than analyses and critique of history.Read more ›
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