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948Feminist Standpoint Theory vs. the Identitarian Ideology of the New RightSocial Theory and Practice 50 (1): 127-155. 2024.The term ‘identity politics’ is used to refer to a wide range of political movements. In this paper, we look at the theoretical ideas underpinning two strongly, mutually opposed forms of identity politics, and identify some crucial differences between them. We critically compare the identitarian ideology of the New Right with feminist standpoint theory, focusing on two issues: relativism and essentialism. In carrying out this critical comparison we illuminate under-theorized aspects of both new …Read more
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3Theater, Philosophie und Moderne (review)Deutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie 70 (5): 846-851. 2022.
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13RelativismusIn Jörn Bohr, Gerald Hartung, Heike Koenig & Tim-Florian Steinbach (eds.), Simmel-Handbuch: Leben – Werk – Wirkung, J.b. Metzler. pp. 95-103. 2021.Der Relativismus gehört zu den wichtigsten Themen von Simmels Philosophie. Die Bedeutung des Relativismus wird anhand dreier Aspekte skizziert: Erstens betont Simmel selbst die zentrale Stellung des Relativismus für seine philosophische Entwicklung. Zweitens hat Simmel aufgrund seines Bekenntnisses zum Relativismus einen besonderen Platz in der Geschichte der deutschsprachigen Philosophie. Simmel war vermutlich der erste deutschsprachige Philosoph, der seine Position als eine relativistische cha…Read more
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10Ulisse Dogà, “Port Bou – deutsch?” Paul Celan liest Walter Benjamin (Rimbaud Verlag, Aachen 2009) (review)International Walter Benjamin Society. 2010.
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242Grenzwesen Mensch. Zur systematischen Aktualität von Georg Simmels KulturphilosophieZeitschrift für Kulturphilosophie 14 (2). 2020.This paper examines Georg Simmel’s philosophy of culture in relation to anthropological debates, developing a historical and a systematic argument: First, I show that Simmel’s approach can be read as a response to the anthropological challenge of modernity. Second, I demonstrate that Simmel’s theory of culture can be brought to bear on current anthropological debates. Focusing on his concept of cultivation, I argue that Simmel advances a transformative concept of humanity that considers both the…Read more
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645From Völkerpsychologie to Cultural Anthropology: Erich Rothacker’s Philosophy of CultureHopos: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science 10 (1): 308-328. 2020.Erich Rothacker (1888–1965) was a key figure in early-twentieth-century philosophy in Germany. In this paper, I examine the development of Rothacker’s philosophy of culture from 1907 to 1945. Rothacker began his philosophical career with a völkerpsychological dissertation on history, outlining his early biologistic conception of culture (1907–1913). In his mid-career work, he then turned to Wilhelm Dilthey’s (1833–1911) Lebensphilosophie (philosophy of life), advancing a hermeneutic approach to …Read more
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267Georg Simmels Bekenntnis zum Relativismus. Historische und systematische ÜberlegungenIn Gerald Hartung, Tim-Florian Steinbach & Heike Koenig (eds.), Der Philosoph Georg Simmel, Verlag Karl Alber. pp. 111-140. 2020.Das Thema des vorliegenden Aufsatzes ist Georg Simmels »relativistische[s] Weltbild« , anhand dessen die Prinzipien seiner Kulturphilosophie dargelegt werden. Im ersten Teil wird die systematische Fragestellung der Philosophie des Geldes im historischen Kontext rekonstruiert. Dabei steht der philosophiegeschichtliche Zusammenhang zwischen dem Wertproblem und der Debatte um den Relativismus im Zentrum. Im zweiten Teil wird Simmels kulturphilosophische Lösung des Wertproblems, durch die das Geld z…Read more
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1009Dehumanizing Strategies in Nazi Ideology and their Anthropological ContextIn Maria Kronfeldner (ed.), Routledge Handbook of Dehumanization, Routledge. 2021.This chapter explores the ideological dimension of dehumanization in the context of National Socialism, focusing on the connection between concepts of humanity and dehumanizing images. NS regarded itself as a political revolution, realizing a new concept of humanity. Nazi ideologues undergirded the self-understanding of NS by developing racist anthropologies. I examine two major strands of Nazi ideology, focusing on their diverging strategies of dehumanization, and arguing that they were depende…Read more
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341From Buzz to Burst—Critical Remarks on the Term ‘Life’ and Its Ethical Implications in Synthetic BiologyNanoEthics 13 (3): 173-198. 2019.In this paper, we examine the use of the term ‘life’ in the debates within and about synthetic biology. We review different positions within these debates, focusing on the historical background, the constructive epistemology of laboratory research and the pros and cons of metaphorical speech. We argue that ‘life’ is used as buzzword, as folk concept, and as theoretical concept in inhomogeneous ways. Extending beyond the review of the significant literature, we also argue that ‘life’ can be under…Read more
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64The Emergence of Relativism: German Thought from the Enlightenment to National Socialism (edited book)Routledge. 2019.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 E…Read more
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250Introduction: PoliticsIn Martin Kusch, Katherina Kinzel, Niels Wildschut & Johannes Steizinger (eds.), The Emergence of Relativism: German Thought from the Enlightenment to National Socialism. pp. 197-201. 2019.
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967Relativism in the Context of National SocialismIn Martin Kusch (ed.), Routledge Handbook to Relativism, . pp. 114-123. 2019.The aim of this chapter is to clarify the use and meaning of the concept of relativism in the context of National Socialism (NS). Section 1 examines the critical reproach that NS is a form of relativism. I analyze and criticize the common core of this widespread argument which has dominated discussions about the topic up to the present. Section 2 sketches the general debates on relativism before and during NS. I show that fascist thought could be associated with both relativism and anti-relativi…Read more
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302Die Perspektive des Lebens: Genealogie und Kritik beim späten NietzscheDeutsche Zeitschrift für Philosophie 67 (3): 451-463. 2019.This paper focuses on the relation of genealogy and critique in Nietzsche’s late philosophy. It is argued that the late Nietzsche distinguishes between genealogy and critique. The genealogy of morality is a descriptive endeavor that shows the origin of values in processes of life. The critique of morality assesses the value of values from the perspective of life. It is argued that the concept of life is at the core of Nietzsche’s critical project and thus his fundamental standard. The paper also…Read more
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504The aim of this chapter is to clarify the meaning and the use of the concept of relativism in the context of National Socialism (NS). This chapter analyzes three aspects of the connection between relativism and NS: The first part examines the critical reproach that NS is a form of relativism. I analyze and criticize the common core of this widespread argument, which is developed in varying contexts, was held in different times, and is still shared by several authors. The second part investigates…Read more
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582Die identitäre Ideologie. Wiederkehr des völkischen DenkensPerspektiven DS 35 (2): 77-79. 2018.Nationalistische Ideen haben in der gegenwärtigen Politik Konjunktur. Dabei ist auch die Wiederkehr einer völkisch-traditionalistischen Ideologie zu beobachten. Der völkische Nationalismus ist in rechtsextremen Gruppen weit verbreitet. Mittlerweile wirken völkische Ideen jedoch weit in die bürgerliche Mitte hinein, nicht zuletzt aufgrund der erfolgreichen Strategien der sogenannten „Neuen Rechten“. Die Identitäre Bewegung (IB) spielt in dieser Szene eine wesentliche Rolle und wird zumeist als ei…Read more
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240Amos Morris-Reich and Dirk Rupnow, eds. Ideas of ‘Race’ in the History of the Humanities. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017. Pp. xiii+337. $109.00 ; $85.00 (review)Hopos: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science 9 (1). 2019.
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418Reorientations of Philosophy in the Age of History: Nietzsche’s Gesture of Radical Break and Dilthey’s TraditionalismStudia Philosophica: Swiss Journal of Philosophy 76 223-243. 2017.In this paper, I examine two exemplary replies to the challenge of history that played a crucial role in the controversies on the nature and purpose of philosophy during the so-called long 19th century. Nietzsche and Dilthey developed concepts of philosophy in contrast with one another, and in particular regarding their approach to the history of philosophy. While Nietzsche advocates a radical break with the history of philosophy, Dilthey emphasizes the continuity with the philosophical traditio…Read more
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954The Significance of Dehumanization: Nazi Ideology and its Psychological ConsequencesPolitics, Religion and Ideology 19 (2). 2018.Several authors have recently questioned whether dehumanization is a psychological prerequisite of mass violence. This paper argues that the significance of dehumanization in the context of National Socialism can be understood only if its ideological dimension is taken into account. The author concentrates on Alfred Rosenberg’s racist doctrine and shows that Nazi ideology can be read as a political anthropology that grounds both the belief in the German privilege and the dehumanization of the Je…Read more
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366Verschränkung. Exempel und Paradigma interdisziplinärer BegriffsgeschichteForum Interdisziplinäre Begriffsgeschichte 1 (2): 116-124. 2012.
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269Engineers of Life? A Critical Examination of the Concept of Life in the Debate on Synthetic BiologyIn Toepfer Georg & Engelhard Margret (eds.), : Ambivalences of Creating Life – Societal and Philosophical Dimensions of Synthetic Biology, Springer. 2016.The concept of life plays a crucial role in the debate on synthetic biology. The first part of this chapter outlines the controversial debate on the status of the concept of life in current science and philosophy. Against this background, synthetic biology and the discourse on its scientific and societal consequences is revealed as an exception. Here, the concept of life is not only used as buzzword but also discussed theoretically and links the ethical aspects with the epistemological prerequis…Read more
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702Zwischen Jugendbewegung und literarischer Avantgarde. Das Leben von Christoph Friedrich Heinle 1894−1914In Christoph Friedrich Heinle: Lyrik und Prosa, Kulturverlag Kadmos. pp. 149-183. 2016.
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298Der Spieler als paradigmatische Figur der Moderne. Peripetien zur kulturellen Funktion des GlücksspielsIn Fuchs Mathias & Strouhal Ernst (eds.), as Spiel und seine Grenzen. Passagen des Spiels II, Springer. pp. 31-46. 2010.
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299Vom Gott zum Schriftsteller. Thomas Carlyles Helden-PanoramaIn Thun-Hohenstein Franziska & Schwartz Matthias (eds.), Kulturheros Genealogien. Konstellationen. Praktiken, Kulturverlag Kadmos. 2017.
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Areas of Specialization
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19th Century German Philosophy |
20th Century Continental Philosophy |
Social and Political Philosophy |
Aesthetics |
Dehumanization |
Life |
Culture and Cultures |
Areas of Interest
3 more
Racism |
Philosophy of Race |
Culture and Cultures |
Cultural Relativism |
Epistemic Relativism |
Political Theory |
Autonomy |
Moral Relativism |
PhilPapers Editorships
Dehumanization |