Ernst Cassirer (1874-1945) occupies a unique place in 20th-century philosophy. His view that human beings are not rational but symbolic animals and his famous dispute with Martin Heidegger at Davos in 1929 are compelling alternatives to the deadlock between ''analytic'' and ''continental'' approaches to philosophy. An astonishing polymath, Cassirer''s work pays equal attention to mathematics and natural science but also art, language, myth, religion, technology, and history. However, until now the importance of his work has largely been overlooked.
In this outstanding introduction Samantha Matherne examines and assesses the full span of Cassirer''s work. Beginning with an overview of his life and works she covers the following important topics:
- Cassirer''s neo-Kantian background
- Philosophy of mathematics and natural science, including Cassirer''s first systematic work, Substance and Function,and subsequent works, like Ei
