The French Enlightenment and the Emergence of Modern Cynicism

ISBN-13: 9781107014640 / Angielski / Twarda / 2012 / 236 str.

Sharon A Stanley

Opis

Stanley argues that the French philosophes reveal the possibility of a democratically hospitable form of cynicism.

Recenzje

“A masterful examination of the intimate relationship between democracy and cynicism. Stanley offers a trenchant critique of alarmist cries about the death of democracy at the hands of cynicism and boldly argues that cynicism is not only endemic to modern democratic theory as it was developed in the eighteenth century, but is also crucial to the health of democracy today. Elegantly written, Stanley’s book also offers a delightful and provocative reevaluation of Diderot as the true figurehead of the Enlightenment and an author who might have more to say to us, today, than his more famous contemporaries Voltaire and Rousseau.” – Louisa Shea, The Ohio State University

Spis treści

Introduction; Part I. The Enlightenment: 1. Enlightenment as disillusionment; 2. Unraveling natural Utopia; 3. The dark side of sociability; 4. The leveling power of commerce; 5. Hermits and cynics; Part II. The Present: 6. From Enlightenment to postmodernism; 7. Disenchanted democracy.