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Moses Mendelssohn: Philosophical Writings

Moses Mendelssohn: Philosophical Writings

Moses Mendelssohn: Philosophical Writings

Moses Mendelssohn
Daniel O. Dahlstrom, Boston University
May 1997
Available
Paperback
9780521574778
$72.00
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Paperback
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Hardback

    Mendelssohn's Philosophical Writings, published in 1761, bring the metaphysical tradition to bear on the topic of "sentiments" (defined as knowledge or awareness by way of the senses). They include a nuanced defense of Leibniz's theodicy and conception of freedom, and examination of the ethics of suicide, an account of the "mixed sentiments" so central to the tragic genre, an hypothesis about weakness of will, an elaboration of the main principles and types of art, and a brief tract on probability theory, aimed at rebutting Hume's skepticism.

    • Text is a key contribution to 18th-century aesthetics and drama theory
    • Succinct statement of the views against which Kant reacted in developing his own transcendental philosophy
    • Historical and philosophical introduction, useful notes and chronology

    Reviews & endorsements

    "The writings in this collection are interesting both in terms of Mendelssohn's own philosophical and literary powers and in terms of his relationship to other important philosophical and cultural figures, particularly Leibniz, Shaftsbury, Lessing, and Kant." M.A. Bertman, Choice

    "...this is a volume that a student of German philosophy and the Enlightenment will find useful." SYlvana Tomaselli, Dialogue

    See more reviews

    Product details

    May 1997
    Paperback
    9780521574778
    364 pages
    228 × 152 × 20 mm
    0.49kg
    2 tables
    Available

    Table of Contents

    • Part I: On sentiments
    • Dialogues
    • Part II: Rhapsody or additions to the letters on sentiments
    • On the main principles of the fine arts and sciences
    • On the sublime and naive in the fine sciences
    • On probability
    • On evidence in metaphysical sciences
    • On the ability to know, the ability to feel, and the ability to desire
    • On the question: what does 'to enlighten' mean?
    • Moses Mendelssohn
    • Editor
    • Daniel O. Dahlstrom , Boston University