Rüdiger Safranski on the opposing poles of the individual and society. A new, surprisingly contemporary history of philosophy.
Before all else, each person is a separate individual. This can be a burden we can alleviate by living in a community. But it can also rouse our ambitions to cultivate our individuality. Between these two poles of human existence lie several impressive attempts at living in solitude. This is the subject of Rüdiger Safranski’s new book. It begins with Michel de Montaigne and leads us through the philosophies of Rousseau, Diderot, Kierkegaard, Stirner and Thoreau to the existentialist philosophy of the 20th century. In the course of his book, Safranski examines ways in which we cope with being separate from others — a state that has recently forced itself very unexpectedly into our daily lives.
Being Singular
A philosophical challenge
