The Question of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

by Ernst Cassirer

English, German (translation)

Genres: Philosophy

152 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1989

About the author

Ernst Cassirer was one of the major figures in the development of philosophical idealism in the first half of the twentieth century, a German Jewish philosopher. Coming out of the Marburg tradition of neo-Kantianism, he developed a philosophy of culture as a theory of symbols founded in a phenomenology of knowledge.

Reviews

[Lucas]

One of Kant’s greatest readers, Cassirer, understanding Rousseau through his greatest reader, Kant.

[Colm Gillis]

Very good book. Really admired the approach taken by Cassirer, who was one of the foremost philosophers of myth in the 20th century. He analysed the controversial figure of Rousseau in an open-minded and sympathetic manner, critiquing the work of many other scholars along the way. Certainly new horizons of Rousseau will be opened up when you read this book and ita even informative with respect to other Enlightenment giants like Holbach and Voltaire. The book is a little pedantic and lacks sparkle. The prose is well-written but has no personality. I doubt if anyone would be jumping to turn the pages but one will profit by reading it.

[Jim Coughenour]

An obscure classic. Cassirer strives to reconcile the many contradictions of Rousseau, which in 1932 was a novel approach. I read this, less for a definitive reading of Rousseau (whose creative profusion can support and undermine almost any interpretation), more to enjoy Cassirer's philosophical style.

[Adriano]

It´s nice, I want to read it