Idealism as Modernism
Hegelian Variations

In this volume Robert Pippin disputes many traditional characterisations of the distinctiveness of modern philosophy.

Robert B. Pippin (Author)

9780521568739, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 28 January 1997

484 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.7 cm, 0.71 kg

"There is much food for thought in this collection of essays. Pippin has a rich sense of Hegel's contribution to contemporary issues, and draws creatively on Hegel's dialogue with." Review of Metaphysics

'Modernity' has come to refer both to a contested historical category and to an even more contested philosophical and civilisational ideal. In this important collection of essays Robert Pippin takes issue with some prominent assessments of what is or is not philosophically at stake in the idea of a modern revolution in Western civilisation, and presents an alternative view. Professor Pippin disputes many traditional characterisations of the distinctiveness of modern philosophy. In their place he defends claims about agency, freedom, ethical life and modernity itself, all of which are central to the German idealist philosophical tradition, and in particular, to the writings of Hegel. Having considered the Hegelian version of these issues the author explores other accounts as found in Habermas, Strauss, Blumenberg, Nietzsche, and Heidegger.

1. Introduction: Hegelianism?
Part 1. The Original Options: Kant Versus Hegel: 2. Kant on the spontaneity of mind
3. On the moral foundations of Kant's Rechtslehre
4. Hegel, ethical reasons, Kantian rejoinders
5. Avoiding German idealism: Kant, Hegel, and the reflective judgment problem
Part II. Critical Modernism: 6. Hegel, modernity, and Habermas
7. Technology as ideology: prospects
Part III. Greeks, Germans and Moderns: 8. The modern world of Leo Strauss
9. Being, time, and politics: the Strauss-Kojève debate
Part IV. Narrating Modernity: 10. Blumenberg and the modernity problem
11. Modern mythic meaning: Blumenberg contra Nietzsche
Part V. Modernism and Nihilism: 12. Truth and lies in early Nietzsche
13. Nietzsche's alleged farewell: the Premodern, Modern, and Postmodern Nietzsche
14. Morality as psychology
psychology as morality: Nietzsche, Eros, and clumsy lovers
Part VI. Heidegger's 'Culmination': 15. On being anti-Cartesian: Hegel, Heidegger, subjectivity and sociality
16. Heideggerian postmodernism and political metaphysics
Part VII. Hegelianism: 17. Hegel's ethical rationalism.

Subject Areas: Western philosophy: c 1600 to c 1900 [HPCD]