Overview
- Important monograph on the (early) modern theory of the Soul of the World
- Examines the World Soul problematique in a broad metaphysical context
- Includes interdisciplinary discussion between metaphysics, theology, natural philosophy
- Covers non-mainstream intellectual traditions such as Cabbala, Hermetism
- Includes unpublished early modern manuscript material
Part of the book series: International Archives of the History of Ideas Archives internationales d'histoire des idées (ARCH, volume 202)
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Table of contents (9 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Opposition to the Identification of the World Soul with God in the Philosophia Leibnitio-Wolffiana: The Theory of God as the ‘ens extramundanum
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Front Matter
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“Les Naturalistes – Eighteenth-Century Physico-Theology: The Scientific Demonstration of the Existence and Attributes of God from the Teleology of Nature. The World Soul Theory in Physico-Theology. Physico-Theology As a Source of Inspiration for the Early German Romantics
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Front Matter
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Gradual Rise of the Concept of a World Soul in the ‘Lessingzeit’. Philosophical Cabbala, Spinozism and Mysticism: Böhme and Ötinger; Spinoza, Lessing and the Pantheismus-Streit; Giordano Bruno’s Influence in the Epoch
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Front Matter
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The Philosophical Postulation of the World Soul in Early German Romanticism
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
This work presents and philosophically analyzes the early modern and modern history of the theory concerning the soul of the world, anima mundi. The initial question of the investigation is why there was a revival of this theory in the time of the early German Romanticism, whereas the concept of the anima mundi had been rejected in the earlier, classical period of European philosophy (early and mature Enlightenment). The presentation and analysis starts from the Leibnizian-Wolffian school, generally hostile to the theory, and covers classical eighteenth-century physico-theology, also reluctant to accept an anima mundi. Next, it discusses early modern and modern Christian philosophical Cabbala (Böhme and Ötinger), an intellectual tradition which to some extent tolerated the idea of a soul of the world. The philosophical relationship between Spinoza and Spinozism on the one hand, and the anima mundi theory on the other is also examined. An analysis of Giordano Bruno’s utilization of the concept anima del mondo is the last step before we give an account of how and why German Romanticism, especially Baader and Schelling asserted and applied the theory of the Weltseele. The purpose of the work is to prove that the philosophical insufficiency of a concept of God as an ens extramundanum instigated the Romantics to think an anima mundi that can act as a divine and quasi-infinite intermediary between God and Nature, as a locum tenens of God in physical reality.
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Anima Mundi: The Rise of the World Soul Theory in Modern German Philosophy
Authors: Miklós Vassányi
Series Title: International Archives of the History of Ideas Archives internationales d'histoire des idées
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8796-6
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011
Hardcover ISBN: 978-90-481-8795-9Published: 30 November 2010
Softcover ISBN: 978-94-007-3426-5Published: 02 January 2013
eBook ISBN: 978-90-481-8796-6Published: 16 November 2010
Series ISSN: 0066-6610
Series E-ISSN: 2215-0307
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XV, 434
Topics: History of Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Nature, Metaphysics, History of Science