The German Aesthetic Tradition [Paperback]

Kai Hammermeister (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0521785545 | ISBN-13: 978-0521785549

This is the only available systematic critical overview of German aesthetics from 1750 to the present. The book begins with the work of Baumgarten and covers all the major writers on German aesthetics that follow: Kant, Schiller, Schelling, Hegel, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Gadamer and Adorno. It offers a clear and non-technical exposition of ideas, placing these in a wider philosophical context where necessary. Interest in this book extends far beyond the discipline of philosophy to those of literary studies, fine art and music.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a timely, useful, and compelling synthesis of important themes in German philosophical aesthetic thought. Recommended."
-Choice


"What Hammermeister inevitably achieves in this compact, yet wonderfully rich, book is much more than a scholarly overview of an important and difficult historical tradition in aesthetic philosophy."
-Philosophy and Literature

Book Description

This is the only available systematic critical overview of German aesthetics from 1750 to the present. The book begins with the work of Baumgarten and covers all the major writers on German aesthetics that follow, including Kant, Schiller, Schelling, Hegel, Nietzsche up to Heidegger, Gadamer and Adorno. The book offers a clear and non-technical exposition of ideas, placing these in a wider philosophical context where necessary.The market for this book will extend far beyond the domain of philosophy to such fields as literary studies, fine art and music.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (November 4, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521785545
• ISBN-13: 978-0521785549
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #921,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific overview, June 19, 2003

By 

artlover (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The German Aesthetic Tradition (Paperback)

I had been looking for a book like this for a long time. Finally there is an accessible volume that clearly explains the fundamental concepts of German philosophical aesthetics without simplifying them. In fact, this book goes beyond the mere reporting of philosophical positions as it carefully probes them and points out their problems and inconsistencies. Furthermore, the historical narrative that Hammermeister sets up is very original and presents us with a new reading of the developments within the theory of art in Germany.
I found this volume extremely helpful for my studies of philosophical aesthetics, and I expect it to become a classic in this field. However, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone in the humanities with an interest in the history of aesthetic thought. I am sure that Hammermeister's book will establish itself as the main textbook for college classes on German aesthetics. It is thorough, it is enormously learned, it is very well written, and it is lucid and exciting. Indispensible for my own library and work!