Sun 17 Sep 2006
I was introduced to Walter Kaufmann by my friend Julio while majoring in Philosophy at university (I believe I also majored in International Relations or some other useless field). Kaufmann was a top Nietzsche scholar and philosopher of religion, and I recall having read his following works: Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist; From Shakespeare to Existentialism; Critique of Philosophy and Religion; and the trilogy Discovering the Mind (Goethe, Kant, and Hegel; Nietzsche, Hiedegger, and Buber; and Freud versus Adler and Jung). Kaufmann was born a Chrisitan in Germany (later emigrating to the US) and rejected Christianity at the age of 12 to become a Jew (only later to discover that all four of his grandparents had been Jewish).
At the risk of being totally ignored by either of the two people who occassionally (or accidentally) read this blog, I recommend that those interested in Philosophy or Religion read Kaufmann’s 1959 article “The Faith of the Heretic” published in Harper’s Magazine. Kaufmann explains his repudiation of Christianity (and basis therefor), and although he finds that the only two compelling religions are Judaism and Buddhism, he ultimately rejects those as well.
September 21st, 2006 at 1:28 pm
Greetings, this is Alfonso’s automated bloger replier reminding you there have not been any response from the audience in the past 4 blogs.
September 21st, 2006 at 3:31 pm
It is only going to get worse!
September 21st, 2006 at 8:19 pm
talk about something politcal instead. or the movie V for Vendetta
September 21st, 2006 at 10:05 pm
Not entirely satifying for Mr. Granuja, but Bro might like the politics (and there is even a movie version of Catch 22).
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:00 pm
huh? i didn’t follow your last comment. have you seen V for Vendetta is great!
maybe i really am the comment killer. did you get more responses prior to my starting to read and reply to your blogs?
i would guess that if you write about things that people deal with in their daily life then they will respond. Like ask people how they would respond if they took starbucks (am not sure what the Spanish equivlent is… maybe tapas bars??) away… would they then take it to the streets?
No for real, i think you get the most comments on your work-related emails… b/c it deals with stuff people do everyday.
Cultural issues often hit home w/ people too… at least in the states. In the U.S. you could take away civil liberties, but as long as gays don’t get married people will be happy.
unrelated to that… i went to the Bronx for lunch and Grandma/pa are for gays getting married (yet still like Bush), but more interestingly, Grandma’s Aunt was in the triangle shirt waist factory fire… and survived.
anyway…
May 25th, 2008 at 2:48 am
hi, just adding my comment to the list (hope you’re still reading them). like you, i’m a big fan of kaufmann. i still enjoy his work, more than 15 years after i first read him. i’ve read the book “faith of a heretic”; thanks for the link to the original article.