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. Spengler revised this volume in 1922 and published the second volume, subtitled perspectives of world history, in 1923. Have you read the decline of the west, and what is it about. It is not a reproduction, it is simply a scan of a book that has multiple pencil marks, inkblots, and. 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 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. I read spenglers the decline of the west more than two decades ago. Mar 18, 2017 i read spenglers the decline of the west more than two decades ago. 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. I am the typical 23m working part time job studying etc. 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. His work the decline of the west argues that the development of civilizations follows a recognizable series of repetitive rises and falls. Oswald spengler, one of the most controversial historians of this century, was born in blankenburg, germany in 1880 and died in munich in 1936. The decline of the west is the magnum opus of oswald spengler 18801936, a german historian and philosopher.
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 spengler, the decline of the west and islamic state. Oswald spengler and the decline of the west november 12, 2015 by daniel halverson 4 comments one day the last portrait of rembrandt and the last bar of mozart will have ceased to bethough possibly a colored canvas and a sheet of notes will remainbecause the last eye and the last ear accessible to their. 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. Perspectives of worldhistory by spengler, oswald and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Oswald spengler the decline of the west oswald spengler may 29, 1880 may 8, 1936 was a german philosopher and mathematician. If i had to choose one word to identify the uniqueness of the west it would be faustian. Where can i find an unabridged, original the decline of. Yet, the civilizations of world history now combine to form 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. 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. 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.
The decline of the west, which at first sight may appear, like the corre sponding. 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. In all its various editions, it has sold nearly 100,000 copies. The decline of the west volume 1 18801936, spengler oswald on. One hundred years later there is again a widespread sense that we are witnessing the decline of the west and even more so. 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 this work of historical philosophy, which was written mostly before. An interbellum german intellectuals work is a powerful warning to americans about the perils of our interventionist foreignpolicy trajectory. The decline of the west by oswald spengler, 9780195066340, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
He is the author of many books, includingoswald spengler. The second volume, subtitled perspectives of world history, was published in 1922. I was never really into books, just recently during quarantine i picked a book from the shelf i never finished, the books name is hippie written by paulo coelho, after finishing the book in about a week i went and bought 2 other books of paulo coelho zahiri and the alchemist, i am amazed by how books work, hippie gave me the. 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 until 1911, when he. 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. Blankenburg am harz, december, 1922, preface to the first edition the complete manuscript of this book the outcome of three. 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 work became wellknown in the wake of german military defeat and especially after the treaty of versailles was signed in 1919. Untergang des abendlandes the decline of the west, and written by an.
The decline of the west work by spengler britannica. The definitive edition of both volumes was published in 1923. In part three, i offer some critical remarks about heideggers. Nov 11, 2009 john david eberts lecture on oswald spengler. A critical estimate, consciousness and society and, most recently.
Have you read the decline of the west, and what is it. Other articles where the decline of the west is discussed. English abridged edition prepared by arthur helps from the translation by charles francis atkinson. I combine the high marks i give to mathematics with a measure of skeptical caution. In the decline of the west, german philosopher and mat. 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 first volume, subtitled form and actuality, was published in the summer of 1918. Reflections on spengler allow for the thought that his own biography is an eloquent metaphor for one of the most. 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 spengler project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
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. On may 29, 1880, german historian and philosopher oswald arnold gottfried spengler was born. Future world order and a dialogue of civilizations duration. The decline of the west, which at first sight may appear, like the. Oswald spengler, german philosopher whose reputation rests entirely on the decline of the west 2 vol. Spengler merges the elements that he considers most central to his endeavor into. 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 prophesy. The decline of the west, first published in 1917, is the major contribution of the german oswald spengler to western thought. 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. 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. Where can i find an unabridged, original the decline of the. 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.
Spengler on world history and politics john farrenkopf baton rouge. Sociologist max weber hoped for charismatic leadership to. For those who dont know about spengler, that yt video is a terrible intro to the man and his works. In the decline of the west, german philosopher and mathematician oswald spengler urges a new understanding of the world. Stuart hughes is professor of history, emeritus, at the university of california at san diego. 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.
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. According to spenglers bold philosophy of history, the crises that periodically. But i did notice at the time that spengler had a chapter on mathematics quite at the beginning of vol. The decline of the west 2 volumes by oswald spengler, used.
If therefore we are to discover in what form the destiny of the western. 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. He proposed a new theory, according to which the lifespan of civilizations is limited and ultimately they decay oswald spengler early years. The decline of the west volume 1 paperback january 28, 20. Stockton shortly before the end of the first world war, in the summer of 1918, a sizable volume appeared in bookstores throughout germany.
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