Counter-Enlightenments: From the Eighteenth Century to the Present (Routledge Studies in Social and Political Thought)

The Enlightenment and its legacy are still actively debated, with the Enlightenment acting as a key organizing concept in philosophy, social theory and the history of ideas. Counter-Enlightenments is the first full-length study to deal with the history and development of counter-enlightenment thought from its inception in the eighteenth century right through to the present. Engaging in a critical dialogue with Isaiah Berlin’s work, this book analyzes the concept of counter-enlightenment and some of the most important issues and problems it raises. Graeme Garrard explores the diverse forms of thought in this field, with a wide-ranging review of the principle figures of the past two hundred and fifty years, and an incisive assessment of the persuasiveness of the most common and important criticisms of the Enlightenment. "Counter-Enlightenments is the first general, book-length study of the history and development of Enlightenment criticism from its inception in the eighteenth century through to the present. It examines the various ways in which the Enlightenment has been both constructed and attacked by its enemies on the left, the right and in the centre. Engaging in a critical dialogue with Isaiah Berlin's seminal work on this subject, this book analyses the concept of Counter-Enlightenment and some of the most important conceptual issues and problems that it raises. Graeme Garrard explores the diverse forms of Counter-Enlightenment thought with a wide-ranging review of the principle opponents of the past two hundred and fifty years, and concludes with an assessment of the persuasiveness of some of the most common and important criticisms of it."--Jacket The Enlightenment and its legacy are still actively debated, with the Enlightenment acting as a key organizing concept in philosophy, social theory and the history of ideas. Counter-Enlightenments is the first full-length study to deal with the history and development of the Counter-Enlightenment thought from its inception in the eighteenth century right through to the present. Engaging in a critical dialogue with Isiah Berlin's work, this book analyses the concept of Counter-Enlightenment and some of the most important conceptual issues and problems it raises. Graeme Garrard explores the diverse forms of Counter-Enlightenment thought, with a wide-ranging review of the principle figures of the past two hundred and fifty years, and he assesses the persuasiveness of the most common and important criticisms of the Enlightenment. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Contents......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Acknowledgements......Page 15 1 Introduction......Page 16 2 First shots......Page 31 3 Counter-Enlightenment and Counter-Revolution......Page 51 4 The return of faith and feeling......Page 70 5 The strange case of Friedrich Nietzsche and the Enlightenment......Page 89 6 Enlightened totalitarianism......Page 95 7 The postmodern challenge......Page 110 8 From Enlightenment to nothingness......Page 124 9 Conclusion......Page 137 Notes......Page 148 Bibliography......Page 180 Index......Page 198 First shots Counter-Enlightenment and counter-revolution The return of faith and feeling Interlude : the strange case of Friedrich Nietzsche and the Enlightenment Enlightened totalitarianism The postmodern challenge Enlightenment and nothingness Hits and misses.