German Philosophers: Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche (Past Masters) [Paperback]

Roger Scruton (Author), Peter Singer (Author), Christopher Janaway (Author), Michael Tanner (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0192876937 | ISBN-13: 978-0192876935 | Publication Date: May 15, 1997 | Edition: OUP Paperback Edition 1997

German Philosophers contains studies of four of the most important German theorists: Kant, arguably the most influential modern philosopher; Hegel, whose philosophy inspired a vision of a communist society that for more than one hundred years enlivened revolutionary movements around the world; Schopenhauer, renowned for his pessimistic view that for human individual non-existence would be preferable; and Nietzsche, who has been appropriated as an icon by an astonishingly diverse spectrum of people.
Written by leading scholars in the field, German Philosophers is the only work to bring together texts on the four philosophers who represent a central school of German philosophy. With a Foreword by Sir Keith Thomas and extensive notes for further reading, this handy volume serves as an easy-to-use introduction for the beginning philosophy student and a quick and comprehensive reference for scholars.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`Review from previous edition Roger Scruton on Kant: 'Roger Scruton faced perhaps the most intractable task of all in giving an elementary account of Kant's philosophy ... but he does it extremely elegantly and neatly.'' Listener --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

About the Authors:
Roger Scruton is Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck College, London. His books include Spinoza, also in the Past Masters series, Sexual Desire, and Modern Philosophy, along with several works of fiction. Peter Singer is Professor of Philosophy and Deputy Director of the Center for Human Bioethics at Monash University, Melbourne. He is well known for his text Animal Liberation. His other books include Democracy and Disobedience, Practical Ethics, and the Past Master on Marx. His recent book, Rethinking Life and Death, won the National Book Council of Australia's Bajo Award for the best non-fiction book of 1994. Christopher Janaway is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Birkbeck College, London, and author of Self and World in Schopenhauer's Philosophy (1989). Michael Tanner is a Fellow of Corpus Christi Colege and a University Lecturer in Philosophy at Cambridge. His publications include Critical History of Opera and Wagner.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; OUP Paperback Edition 1997 edition (May 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192876937
• ISBN-13: 978-0192876935
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,568,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of the hardest, July 13, 2000

By 

James Versluys - See all my reviews

This review is from: German Philosophers: Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche (Past Masters) (Paperback)

These are highly admirable overviews by some of the best of the current set of the philsophers examining past greats.

This must have been a difficult book to put together. The editors would have to have found not one, but four great authors from which to put together introductions for the hardest authors in all philosophy.

He succeeded. This book makes immediately explaicable two of the hardest authors in all history- Kant and Hegel. I was amazed at the level of commentary in this short a work. It is almost impossible to pull this easy an introduction off. My hat is off to both Scruton and Singer.

The other commentaries and introcductions were as good as they come. Because of the ease of Schoepenhaur and Nietzsche, the authors had more room to give reasonably complete explanations and ruminations on their lives. Janner and Tannaway both make superb additions to these traditions, both commentaries worthy of being works in themselves.

This is four times a good book. My respect to all the authors, and my full throated call for people to read these books.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book, September 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: German Philosophers: Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche (Past Masters) (Paperback)

This is a truly wonderful book. The reader can grasp what is being said in a relatively short time and spend the rest of his life thinking about it. I recommend it to newcomers in philosophy to get a good introduction to the some great philosophical thinking as well as to more seasoned practitioners so that they may learn how to explain things.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply outstanding, April 6, 2000

By 

Richard L. King - See all my reviews

This review is from: German Philosophers: Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche (Past Masters) (Paperback)

All of the philosophers covered in this volume are difficult to read. They are difficult to read for several reasons, including: 1) some of the translations of the primary texts are mediocre at best; 2)translations never truly capture the intent of the original texts; and 3) even in the original German the ideas are challenging and difficult. Because of these difficulties, this book, which provides incisive accounts of the German philosophers, is particularly useful to the English-speaking reader. Highly recommended.