The decline of the west by oswald spengler an abridged edition by helmut werner english abridged edition prepared by arthur helps from the translation by charles francis atkinson new york. Mar 18, 2017 i read spenglers the decline of the west more than two decades ago. In it, spengler rejects the idea that the future of the west or indeed of any culture is an openended advance from the primitive past to an ever more glorious and expansive future. For those who dont know about spengler, that yt video is a terrible intro to the man and his works. His work the decline of the west argues that the development of civilizations follows a recognizable series of repetitive rises and falls. Spengler wrote prolifically, but his best known work was variously translated as decline of the west, or as my pdf copy says, decline of the occident, which gives some insight into his specific worldviews at a time when he and much of europe was preoccupied with the fate of european dominance.
In the decline of the west, german philosopher and mathematician oswald spengler urges a new understanding of the world. An interbellum german intellectuals work is a powerful warning to americans about the perils of. Yet, the civilizations of world history now combine to form a. May 19, 2016 i discuss oswald spengler s theory of history, as presented in his book the decline of the west, and i suggest how social movements in the middle east, notably islamic state, may represent the. The decline of the west work by spengler britannica. The decline of the west 2 volumes by oswald spengler, used. The decline of the west is the magnum opus of oswald spengler 18801936, a german historian and philosopher. The decline of the west the decline of the west form and actuality by oswald spengler authorizbd translation with n. The work became wellknown in the wake of german military defeat and especially after the treaty of versailles was signed in 1919.
And what a contribution it was first of all, the work, which this edition is an abridged version, is tainted by accusations of being pro nazi and amiable to fascism in general and to mussolini in particular. Spengler was not a professor or professional historian. Scribd is the worlds largest social reading and publishing site. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form.
Oswald spenglers the decline of the west was a huge international bestseller after the first world war for reasons that will become obvious, and for reasons that may be just as much so, spengler considered his theories prophetic and completely justified given that he started this book in 1911 before the shit totally hit the fan. Reflections on spengler allow for the thought that his own biography is an eloquent metaphor for one of the most. In this work of historical philosophy, which was written mostly before. Read in this country chiefly in the brilliantly faithful translation by charles francis atkinson, the decline of the west new york, two volumes, 192628, spengler s morphology of history was the great intellectual achievement of our century. Decline of the west oswald spengler a wellformatted version based on the alfred a. According to spenglers bold philosophy of history, the crises that periodically. Sociologist max weber hoped for charismatic leadership. I wouldnt bother, but spenglers book is filled covertocover with this notveryhelpful distinction. Spengler was thirtyeight when the first volume of the decline of the west was first published having begun thinking about the idea of the book seven years earlier.
The decline of the west the pure harmony of will, must and can, the selfevidence of the aim, the unselfconsciousness of the execution, the unity of the art and the culture all that is past and gone. On may 29, 1880, german historian and philosopher oswald arnold gottfried spengler was born. Spengler revised this volume in 1922 and published the second volume, subtitled perspectives of world history, in 1923. Perspectives of worldhistory oswald spengler the decline of the west volume ii. Perspectives of worldhistory by spengler, oswald and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Indeed, according to edwin franden dakin 2, spengler obscured all facts about his life stating only that his family was engaged in the mining business. Yet his book was profoundly popular and influential for decades. He believed that the west had already passed through the creative stage of culture and that the future could only be a period of irreversible decline. The new relevance of oswald spengler prophet of decline. A twentiethcentury cassandra, oswald spengler thoroughly probed the origin and fate of our civilization, and the result can be and. This is a political forum that is nonbiasednonpartisan and treats every persons position on topics equally. The decline of the west, which at first sight may appear, like the corre. The decline of the west by oswald spengler, 9780195066340, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. An interbellum german intellectuals work is a powerful warning to americans about the perils of our interventionist foreignpolicy trajectory.
There is hardly a book written in the past 150 years that can surpass spenglers decline of the west in the depth of understanding, interpreting and explaining the logic behind cultural phenomena and its relationship to the historical development of civilizations in general. He was a high school teacher who took early retirement. I combine the high marks i give to mathematics with a measure of skeptical caution. Cultivated european discourse quickly became spengler saturated.
There is hardly a book written in the past 150 years that can surpass spengler s decline of the west in the depth of understanding, interpreting and explaining the logic behind cultural phenomena and its relationship to the historical development of civilizations in general. Perspectives of worldhistory by oswald spengler contents iorigin and languagethe cosmic and the microcosm. Have you read the decline of the west, and what is it. Blankenburg am harz, december, 1922, preface to the first edition the complete manuscript of this book the outcome of three. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. When the first volume of the decline of the west appeared in germany a few years ago, thousands of copies were sold. In the decline of the west, german philosopher and mat.
He proposed a new theory, according to which the lifespan of civilizations is limited and ultimately they decay. The decline of the west npr coverage of the decline of the west by oswald spengler, helmut werner, arthur, sir helps, and charles francis atkinson. Pdf this comparative study aims at revealing the validity of the. Spenglers decline of the west page 2 debate politics. English abridged edition prepared by arthur helps from the translation by charles francis atkinson. The decline of the west by oswald spengler, paperback. The definitive edition of both volumes was published in 1923. In corot and tiepolo, mozart and cimarosa, there is still a real mastery of the mothertongue. Oswald spenglers the decline of the west was and still is a controversial book. Other articles where the decline of the west is discussed. Conceived just before 1911 and written during world war i, it was published a few months before germany signed the armistice in 1918 that would lead to its eventual calamities within the weimar republic and. Oswald spengler project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. If i had to choose one word to identify the uniqueness of the west it would be faustian.
I surfed it a bit, considered it pretty heavy and indigestible cake, but made a mental note to look at it more carefully when i had the leisure. Oswald spenglers the decline of the west internet archive. In todays politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Stockton shortly before the end of the first world war, in the summer of 1918, a sizable volume appeared in bookstores throughout germany. Oswald spengler the decline of the west oswald spengler may 29, 1880 may 8, 1936 was a german philosopher and mathematician. The decline of the west volume 1 18801936, spengler oswald on. See oswald spengler, the decline of the west, trans. Spengler on world history and politics john farrenkopf baton rouge.
The decline of the west, a major contribution to social theory after taking his doctorate at the university of halle 1904, spengler worked as a schoolmaster. The decline of the west two volumes pdf free download epdf. I read spenglers the decline of the west more than two decades ago. Oswald spengler, author of the decline of the west 1918. Spengler wrote prolifically, but his best known work was variously translated as decline of the west, or as my pdf copy says, decline of the occident, which gives some insight into his specific worldviews at a time when he and much of europe was preoccupied with the fate of.
Even though it has been virtually forgotten in modern times, its bold predictions for the western world have withstood the test of time and even been strengthened by its passage. It is not a reproduction, it is simply a scan of a book that has multiple pencil marks, inkblots, and. But i did notice at the time that spengler had a chapter on mathematics quite at the beginning of vol. A twentiethcentury cassandra, oswald spengler thoroughly probed the origin and fate of our civilization, and the result can be and has been read as a. Since its first publication in two volumes between 19181923, the decline of the west has ranked as one of the most widely read and most talked about books of our time. For the sake of those who may need to reference spenglers decline of the west, i thought i should start what i hope to be my final post on spengler by briefly describing his idiosyncratic distinction between culture and civilization. The decline of the west, first published in 1917, is the major contribution of the german oswald spengler to western thought. Culture vs civilization in spenglers decline of the west. Read in this country chiefly in the brilliantly faithful translation by charles francis atkinson, the decline of the west new york, two volumes, 192628, spenglers morphology of history was the great intellectual achievement of our century. The notes comprise, at least in part, the germinal stage in the development of the entire thesis presented in that work.
Oswald arnold gottfried spengler 29 may 1880 8 may 1936 was a german historian and philosopher of history whose interests included mathematics, science, and art. In all its various editions, it has sold nearly 100,000 copies. Oswald spenglers 191822 bestseller the decline of the west mourned the engulfing of kultur by the cosmopolitan anthill of zivilisation and argued that only a dictatorship could arrest the decline. The second volume, subtitled perspectives of world history, was published in 1922. Mar 27, 2017 since its first publication in two volumes between 19181923, the decline of the west has ranked as one of the most widely read and most talked about books of our time. Oswald spengler, the decline of the west and islamic state.
Collapse of western civilization of the philosopher oswald spengler study. This essay is based on notes intended for the second volume of the decline of the west. Oswald spengler 18801936 was a german historian and philosopher who is perhaps best known as the author of the decline of the west, which was written before wwi but was not published until 1917. Oswald spengler, german philosopher whose reputation rests entirely on the decline of the west 2 vol. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but. The first volume, subtitled form and actuality, was published in the summer of 1918. I discuss oswald spenglers theory of history, as presented in his book the decline of the west, and i suggest how social movements in the middle east, notably islamic state, may represent the. Having made a few general observations on spengler s concept of the magian soul and what it stands for in the decline, it would perhaps be germane to our purpose to examine the racial cultural components of the soul, viz.
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