Rhine Shadow

Author: Zhang Rulun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: This only child born into a wealthy and highly cultured Jewish family in Frankfurt, Germany, a century ago, suffered throughout his life in pain and despair. On the surface, he seemed to have experienced no great misfortune. Although he once fled overseas to escape the horrors of the Nazis, he ultimately returned to his homeland, leaving behind a legacy of works and fame. Yet he never felt happiness or fulfillment; on the contrary, he believed his life was a "ruined life." The words of Beckett he once used—"Countless tears melted away the armor, leaving only traces of tears on his face"—not only mirrored his life but also his image. His tragic thoughts and fate were even reflected in his appearance. From his preserved photographs, from childhood to old age, his face shared a common trait: melancholy combined with vigilance. The articles in this book discuss the life experiences of the philosophers, hoping to observe their thoughts through their interactions with the times. These articles can be considered essays that explore both the people and the world. German philosophy is renowned worldwide, but its profound difficulty also deters many from approaching it. However, the obscurity of German philosophy does not mean it is indifferent to human warmth; German philosophy has achieved worldwide acclaim not because of its complexity or metaphysics, but because of its humanistic concern. The common feature of the articles in this book is that they regard the life experiences (Erlebnis) of the philosophers as part of their philosophy, hoping to observe their thoughts through their interactions with the times and the world. In this sense, these articles can also be considered essays that explore both the people and the world. Their fundamental purpose is to demonstrate that true thinkers must be actors; true philosophy must be a practical philosophy. Because philosophy itself is the practice of life.