In this classic work of tellectual history, Ernst Cassirer provis both a gent synthis and a peratg analysis of one of history's greatt tellectual epochs: the Enlightenment. Argug that there was a mon foundatn beneath the diverse strands of thought of this perd, he shows how Enlightenment philosophers drew upon the ias of the precedg centuri even while radilly transformg them to f the morn world. In Cassirer's view, the Enlightenment liberated philosophy om the realm of pure thought and rtored to s te place as an active and creative force through which knowledge of the world is achieved. In a new foreword, Peter Gay nsirs The Philosophy of the Enlightenment the ntext which was wrten--Germany 1932, on the precipice of the Nazi seizure of power and one of the greatt asslts on the ials of the Enlightenment. He also argu that Cassirer's work remas a trenchant fense agast enemi of the Enlightenment the twenty-first century.
Contents:
THE POLITICS OF ENLIGHTENMENT: FROM PETER GAY TO JONATHAN ISRAEL*
Arthur M. Wilson, Peter Gay's "The Enlightenment: An Interpretatn", Dirot Studi, Vol. 10 (1968), pp. 303-312 * peter gay enlightenment review *
By Peter Gay. Peter Gay, "has been far om gentle wh s hop and predictns.... Peter Gay, profsor of parative European tellectual history at Yale, who three years ago gave "The Rise Of Morn Paganism, " here ntu his terpretatn of the Enlightenment wh a volume subtled "The Science of Freedom.
Gay's mol) and Pl Hazard (not. Gay's mol) an tellectual history--an tellectual history set agast a rich and broad background of 18th-century life. Gay addrs himself, assiduoly and.
Gay addrsed himself to the revolt of the philosoph agast an stutnalized Christiany, and their return to classil (e.
THE POLITICS OF ENLIGHTENMENT: FROM PETER GAY TO JONATHAN ISRAEL* - Volume 55 Issue 3 * peter gay enlightenment review *
Gay trac this "revery of nerve" chiefly s tellectual maniftatns, but is impossible to separate the ias om their applitn. Gay planned to do, leavg to others nsiratn of the practil operatn of Enlightenment ias.
Gay has chosen to exclu--exclu rather than ignore --two important subjects om his magisterial survey.
Gay has himself done this wh the fascatg. Gay's nclns on the ntroversial issue of "Enlightened Dpotism"--a subject which has agated many a historil nference.