Lynda Lytle Holmstrom - The Voegelinian Revolution: A Biographical Introduction

Over the past half-century, Eric Voegelin has produced a demanding body of writing on the philosophy of history and the history of political theory since antiquity. This is the first full-scale treatment of his inquiry into the reality of mans political existence. It includes close readings of the texts, with Voegelins own comments on them interspersed, offering a thorough explication of the philosophers quest.Incorporating an Autobiographical Memoir prepared in collaboration with Voegelin especially for the volume, Ellis Sandoz interweaves the events of this great thinkers life with the philosophical inquiry to which that life has been devoted. Among the uniquely engaging biographical subjects covered are Voegelins reminiscences of his involvement with such seminal minds as Max Weber, and with Karl Kraus, Hans Kelsen, and other lights of Viennas intellectual community of the 1920s and 1930s; a full discussion of his early responses to national socialism and his escape from the Anschluss in 1938; and a summary of his early years in America, with particular attention to the years at Louisiana State University with Cleanth Brooks, Robert Penn Warren, and Robert Heilman.Carefully analyzing Voegelins contribution to our understanding of ourselves, Sandoz convincingly argues that Voegelins achievement is revolutionary. He emphasizes the common sense running through Voegelins thought, and reveals how Voegelin reached a new analysis of reality and provides us with a new science of human affairs. Sandoz does not reveal the truth to end the quest for truth, but shows how such stop history answers are defective. Exploring the meaning of that first truth as it has been intellectually and spiritually unraveled by one of our centurys leading thinkers, Voegelinian Revolution shows anyone interested in politics and human affairs how to follow Voegelins path. This book will be of interest to historians, political theorists, students of philosophy and religion, and educated readers concerned about the plight of American/Western civilization and looking for a new view on our current crisis.