A Translation of Weininger's Über die letzten Dinge (1904/1907) / On Last Things

by Otto Weininger, Steven Burns (Translator, introduction)

Weininger (1880-1903) is generally considered the epitome of fin de siècle Vienna's decadence, & a huge influence on many cretinous minds of his age. Steven Burns (philosophy, Dalhousie Univ.) translates his posthumous collection of essays, On Last Things, into English for the first time, arguing that it reveals much of the milieu that is of interest to history, the arts, criticism, sociology & psychology; is important to academic philosophers because Ludwig Wittgenstein read it; & has merit in its own right as bearing precocious genius & intense moral commitment. He contributes an introduction & annotations. --Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Genres: Philosophy, Essays

157 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1904

About the author

Otto Weininger was an Austrian philosopher. In 1903, he published the book Geschlecht und Charakter (Sex & Character) which gained popularity after his suicide, aged 23. The book is generally viewed as misogynistic & antisemitic in academic circles; however, for some reasons it continues to be held up as a great work of lasting genius & spiritual wisdom by others like Ludwig Wittgenstein.

Otto was born in Vienna as a son of the Jewish goldsmith Leopold Weininger & his wife Adelheid. After attending primary school & graduating from 2ndary school in 7/1898, he registered at the University of Vienna in 10/1898. He studied philosophy & psychology, taking natural science & medicine courses as well. He learned Greek, Latin, French & English early, later also Spanish & Italian, & acquired passive knowledge of the language of Strindberg & Ibsen. In the autumn of 1901 he tried to find a publisher for his work Eros & the Psyche-which he submitted to his professors Jodl & Müllner as his thesis in 1902. He met Sigmund Freud who wouldn't recommend the text to a publisher. His professors accepted the thesis & he received a PhD. Shortly thereafter he became enthusiastically Protestant. In 1902 he went to Bayreuth where he witnessed a performance of Wagner’s Parsifal which impressed him. Via Dresden & Copenhagen he made his way to Christiania (Oslo) where he for the 1st time saw Henrik Ibsen’s liberation drama Peer Gynt. Upon his return to Vienna he suffered from fits of depression. The decision to take his own life gradually took shape; after a long discussion with his friend Artur Gerber, however, he realized that “it's not yet time”.

In 6/1903, after months of concentrated work, his book Sex & Character: A fundamental investigation-an attempt “to place sex relations in a new & decisive light”-was published by Braumüller & Co of Vienna. The book contained his thesis to which three vital chapters were added: (XII) The Nature of Woman & her Relation to the Universe, (XIII) Judaism, (XIV) Women & Humanity. While the book wasn't panned, it didn't create the expected stir. Weininger was attacked by Paul Julius Moebius, Leipzig professor & author of On the Physiological Deficiency of Women, & was accused of plagiarizing. Disappointed & tortured by doubts, he left for Italy.

Back in Vienna he spent his last five days with his parents. On 10/3, he took a room at Schwarzspanierstraße 15 where Ludwig van Beethoven died. He told the landlady that he wasn't to be disturbed before morning since he planned to work late. That night he wrote two letters, one to his father, the other to his brother Richard, telling them he was going to shoot himself. On 10/4, he was found mortally wounded, having shot himself thru the heart. He died in Wiener Allgemeines Krankenhaus at 10:30AM. He was buried in Matzleinsdorf Protestant Cemetery in Vienna. An epitaph by his father translates: "This stone closes the resting place of a young man whose mind never really found peace on earth. & after imparting revelations of his mind & soul he could not bear any longer to be among the living. He searched for the death realm of one of the greatest minds that dwelled in the house in Schwarzspanierstrasse & put an end to his bodily existence."

Reviews

[Aleksandar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Various ideas by a hyper-intellectual, but very troubled man. It's an interesting read, since his thoughts and ideas are very unconventional, and just plain shocking. One of those is defining a dog as a villainous animal, and tail-wagging as a plebeian slave action.

There are grains of truth in the book, but as I see it, these were just ideas, written as definite things without any proof, with massive contradictions, but still a valuable read, just for the range of ideas.

[Matthew W · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for those that were intrigued by Weininger's "Sex and Character." "On Last Things" -- although a collection of unfinished projects -- is Weininger at his most philosophically eclectic. The book features Weininger's analysis of Peer Gynt/Ibsen, a number of aphorisms, and his ideas on characterology, time, metaphysics, and culture. Weininger's insights on the criminal mind are especially insightful and brilliant. After finishing the book, I couldn't help but wonder how Weininger's thought would have developed had he not committed suicide at such a young age. I have no doubt that he would have became the "next Nietzsche." "One Last Things" is further evidence that a great mind was wasted. Of course, Weininger's "great mind" was also what caused him great internal pain and an inevitable suicide.

[Socrate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Autor straniu şi inclasificabil, în ciuda etichetărilor spectaculoase, Otto Weininger (1880-1903) se înscrie deliberat pe direcţia unei gândiri exaltate, rebele, intolerante. Reflecţiile sale psihologice şi filosofice vădesc o profunzime care ar fi fost, poate, confirmată şi precizată de lucrări ulterioare, dar care, altfel, ne mărturisesc o nelinişte vecină cu patologia, dar şi graba autorului lor de a-şi tematiza intuiţiile, parcă presimţindu-şi neputinţa de a prelungi durata unei vieţi măcinate, probabil, de poveri greu de cuprins în discurs.
Fragmentele din lucrarea de faţă reiau ideile îndrăzneţe şi provocatoare din Sex şi caracter (Geschlecht und Charakter, 1903) şi analizează rostul culturii şi al moralei în faţa provocărilor ştiinţei, într-o lume pozitivistă, care estompează individualităţile. Aforismele care întregesc lucrarea de faţă ne pun în faţa unui proiect ale cărui fărâme ne permit să intuim anvergura pe care ar fi putut-o atinge gândirea acestui autor.

[Zorica Zoric · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dosadnjikava knjiga...Otto, oprosti.

[Mert Berkay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Çevirmenin bir konuda hakkını vermek gerek ki çeviri sırasında kitabın mirasçısı ve Weininger'in yakın dostu Rappaport'un, 1907 yılında yayına hazırladığı ve daha yaygın olan sansürlü edisyonu değil, 1904 yılında yayınlanan sansürsüz düşünceleri çevirmeyi tercih edip neşrettiğini anlıyoruz. Bu bağlamda İngilizce versiyonunda özel olarak aramama rağmen bulamadığı Yahudilik meselesi hakkındaki birkaç aforizmayı Türkçe çeviride okumuş oldum.

Bunun ötesinde kitabı asıl satın alma sebebim olan Sex and Character'in İngilizce versiyonunun, Türkçe çevirisinin iki katı kadar uzunlukta olduğunun farkına varacaksınız. İmkân olursa İngilizcesi'nin okunmasını özel olarak tavsiye ediyorum.

Kitap aforizmalardan oluştuğu için, içinde özellikle bir anlam bütünlüğü barındırmadığının bilinmesinde fayda olduğunu düşünüyorum. Bu bilgiye sâhip olmadan okumaya başlayan benim gibiler için bir hayalkırıklığı yaratabilir.

[Marko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting ideas, but also some absolutely absurd ones that don't seem to have anything to do with any explainable philosophy, but just his personal remarks. Especially the parts about animal psychology and absolute symbolity seem just ridiculous.