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A History of Nihilism in the Nineteenth Century Jon Stewart (Slovak Academy of Sciences)

A History of Nihilism in the Nineteenth Century By Jon Stewart (Slovak Academy of Sciences)

A History of Nihilism in the Nineteenth Century by Jon Stewart (Slovak Academy of Sciences)

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Summary

This rich, expansive book reaches beyond philosophy to literature and the history of ideas. Nihilism is associated most frequently with twentieth-century movements, but Jon Stewart shows that a tradition of nineteenth-century nihilism actually predated and anticipated developments like existentialism and postmodernism.

A History of Nihilism in the Nineteenth Century Summary

A History of Nihilism in the Nineteenth Century: Confrontations with Nothingness by Jon Stewart (Slovak Academy of Sciences)

Nihilism - the belief that life is meaningless - is frequently associated with twentieth-century movements such as existentialism, postmodernism and Dadaism, and thought to result from the shocking experiences of the two World Wars and the Holocaust. In his rich and expansive new book, Jon Stewart shows that nihilism's beginnings in fact go back much further to the first half of the nineteenth century. He argues that the true origin of modern nihilism was the rapid development of Enlightenment science, which established a secular worldview. This radically diminished the importance of human beings so that, in the vastness of space and time, individuals now seemed completely insignificant within the universe. The author's panoramic exploration of how nihilism developed - not only in philosophy, but also in religion, poetry and literature - shows what an urgent topic it was for thinkers of all kinds, and how it has continued powerfully to shape intellectual debates ever since.

A History of Nihilism in the Nineteenth Century Reviews

'Jon Stewart's A History of Nihilism in the Nineteenth Century presents a remarkable new interpretation of the development of thinking about the problem of the meaninglessness of the human condition that is referred to as nihilism. This concept is usually associated with twentieth-century existentialism, but Stewart traces how the crisis of meaning arose far earlier, namely as a result of the development of Enlightenment science which undermined traditional religious belief. Insight after insight is gained into the different dimensions of nihilism by means of close readings of key thinkers and writers of the nineteenth century. In experiencing the amazing amplitude of scope of the source-critical work and the creative interpretive turns that come as the narrative unfolds, one senses being in the presence of an author of significant humanity and erudition.' Curtis L. Thompson, Thiel College
'A History of Nihilism in the Nineteenth Century delivers a comprehensive, balanced survey of the leading philosophical and literary attempts to grapple with the concept of nothingness. Stewart's erudition is on full display as he sheds new light on well-known theorists of nihilism, e.g., Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and Turgenev, while elevating the contributions of neglected figures, e.g., Klingemann, Buchner, and Moller. Students and scholars alike will appreciate Stewart's clear, engaging, and jargon-free exposition of one of the defining ideas of the nineteenth century. An impressive achievement by any measure.' Daniel Conway, Texas A&M University

About Jon Stewart (Slovak Academy of Sciences)

Jon Stewart is a Research Fellow in the Institute of Philosophy at the Slovak Academy of Sciences. He is the author of many books, most recently An Introduction to Hegel's Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion: The Issue of Religious Content in the Enlightenment and Romanticism (2022) and Hegel's Century: Alienation and Recognition in a Time of Revolution (Cambridge University Press, 2021), which was the Philosophy category prizewinner in the 2021 PROSE Awards.

Table of Contents

Introduction; 1. Jean Paul's Vision of Nihilism and Plea for the Doctrine of Immortality; 2. Klingemann and the Absurdity of Nothingness in The Nightwatches; 3. Nihilism in English Romanticism: Byron and Shelley; 4. Schopenhauer's Theory of Human Suffering and Lack of Meaning; 5. Buchner's Account of the Reign of Terror as a Mirror of Human Existence; 6. Poul Martin Moller's Criticism of Hegelianism and the Danish Discussion of Nihilism; 7. Kierkegaard and the Indefinability and Inexplicability of Death; 8. Turgenev's Portrait of a Nihilist; 9. Nietzsche's Vision of the Past and the Future of Nihilism; 10. The Importance of Nihilism in the Nineteenth Century.

Additional information

NGR9781009266703
9781009266703
1009266705
A History of Nihilism in the Nineteenth Century: Confrontations with Nothingness by Jon Stewart (Slovak Academy of Sciences)
Jon Stewart (Slovak Academy of Sciences)
New
Hardback
Cambridge University Press
2023-03-30
342
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
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