Question for Dennis Redmond (Adorno on Cassirer)

James Heartfield Jim at heartfield.demon.co.uk
Thu Apr 19 00:35:54 PDT 2001


In message <3ADC3393.721FA589 at erols.com>, Christopher Rhoades Dÿkema <crdbronx at erols.com> writes
> Also, I
>find Cassirer interesting, and wonder if other list participants have any
>thoughts about him.

His book on Fascism, the Myth of the State was an interesting experiment that anticipates a lot of recent state theory, to the effect that it is a relationship rather than a thing. The book, though, is marred by the apparent reading of Carlyle's Sartor Restartus as straight when in fact it is a wildly tongue in cheek parody of scientism. A misreading that rather calls into question Cassirer's great qualities as a critic.

He debated Heidegger at some turning point emergence of German irrationalism, in Davos in the 20s, C. representing German rationalism, H. existentialism.

-- James Heartfield



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