German Philosophy in the Twentieth Century

The course of German philosophy in the twentieth century is one of the most exciting, diverse and controversial periods in the history of human thought. It is widely studied and its legacy hotly contested. In this outstanding introduction, Julian Young explains and assesses the two dominant traditions in modern German philosophy critical theory and phenomenology by examining the following key thinkers and topics: Max Webers setting the agenda for modern German philosophy: the rationalization and disenchantment of modernity resulting in loss of freedom and loss of meaning Horkheimer and Adorno: rationalization and the culture industry Habermas defence of Enlightenment rationalization, the unfinished project of modernity Marcuse: a Freud-based vision of a repression-free utopia Husserl: overcoming the crisis of humanity through phenomenology Early Heideggers existential phenomenology: authenticity as loyalty to heritage Gadamer and fusion of horizons Arendt: the human condition Later Heidegger: the re-enchantment of reality. German Philosophy in the Twentieth Century: Weber to Heidegger is essential reading for students of German philosophy, phenomenology and critical theory, and will also be of interest to students in related fields such as literature, religious studies, and political theory.