The Emergence of Relativism : German Thought From the Enlightenment to National Socialism

Debates over relativism are as old as philosophy itself. Since the late nineteenth century, relativism has also been a controversial topic in many of the social and cultural sciences. And yet, relativism has not been a central topic of research in the history of philosophy or the history of the social sciences. This collection seeks to remedy this situation by studying the emergence of modern forms of relativism as they unfolded in the German lands during the "long nineteenth century"—from the Enlightenment to National Socialism. It focuses on relativist and anti-relativist ideas and arguments in four contexts: history, science, epistemology, and politics. The Emergence of Relativism will be of interest to those studying nineteenth- and twentieth-century philosophy, German idealism, and history and philosophy of science, as well as those in related disciplines such as sociology and anthropology. Title page 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Notes on contributors 8 General introduction 12 Part I: History 16 Introduction • Katherina Kinzel 16 1 Hieroglyphic historicism: Herder’s and Ranke’s theology of history • Niels Wildschut 20 2 The history of philosophy and the puzzles of life: Windelband and Dilthey on the ahistorical core of philosophical thinking • Katherina Kinzel 37 3 Hermeneutic responses to relativism: Gadamer and the historicist tradition • Kristin Gjesdal 54 Part II: Science 70 Introduction • Martin Kusch 70 4 Perspectivalism in the development of scientific observer-relativity • Lydia Patton 74 5 Physical or philosophical? Mach and Einstein on being a relativist • Richard Staley 90 6 Husserl on relativism • Dermot Moran 105 7 “Open systems” and anti-relativism: anti-relativist strategies in psychological discourses around 1900 • Paul Ziche 122 Part III: Epistemology 140 Introduction • Niels Wildschut 140 8 Knowledge and affect: perspectivism reconsidered • Brian Leiter 144 9 Cassirer on relativism in science and morality • Samantha Matherne 162 10 Simmel and Mannheim on the sociology of philosophy, historicism, and relativism • Martin Kusch 176 11 Was Heidegger a relativist? • Sacha Golob 192 Part IV: Politics 208 Introduction • Johannes Steizinger 208 12 Unity and diversity: Herder, relativism, and pluralism • Vicki A. Spencer 212 13 Socializing knowledge and historicizing society: Marx and Engels and the manuscripts of 1845–1846 • Terrell Carver 227 14 National Socialism and the problem of relativism • Johannes Steizinger 244 Index 263 The Emergence of Relativism will be of interest to those studying nineteenth and twentieth century philosophy, German idealism and history and philosophy of science as well as those in related disciplines such as sociology and anthropology.