Nihilism

Stanley Rosen was the Borden Parker Bowne Professor of Philosophy and professor emeritus at Boston University. He is the author of The Language of Love: An interpretation of Plato’s Phaedrus, Platonic Productions: Theme and Variations The Gilson Lectures, Essays in Philosophy: Modern, Essays in Philosophy: Ancient, Metaphysics in Ordinary Language, Plato’s Statesman: The Web of Politics, The Question of Being: A Reversal of Heidegger, Ancients and Moderns: Rethinking Moderninity, G.F.W. Hegel: An Introduction to the Science of Wisdom, The Limits of Analysis, Nihilism: A Philosophical Essay, Plato’s Sophist: The Drama of Original and Image, and Plato’s Symposium (from St. Augustine’s Press).

"The growing importance of reason in philosophy concerns Stanley Rosen in this essay. Rosen's primary objective is to defend Plato and classical philosophy against Martin Heidegger's radical existentialist criticism... Many critics of Heidegger consider his dubious politics during the early days of Nazi rule irrelevant to the understanding of his work. Rosen, argues on the contrary, that Heidegger's philosophy helps explain his initial enthusiasm for, and later submission to, the Nazi regime. The argument yields insight into the connection between philosophical and political nihilism. Furthermore, exposing the evil consequences of nihilistic thoughts adds to his stout defense of the classical tradition." - Elliot Feingold, Book Week; "There is no question of the importance and relevance of the problem of Nihilism, and Rosen treats it with a combination of insight and thoroughness which makes 'Nihilism'an impressive and important book... Deserves to become a classic study." - Kenneth Dorter, Dialogue; "Those who ignore his book, do so at their peril. It vigorously poses issues which have been too long neglected by both political scientists and political theorists." - R.L. Nichols, American Political Science Review; "This is an impressive book... Part of the interest of this book resides in its structure, which analyses moments in the history of ideas to sketch a systematic critique of theoretical and practical reason." - Times Literary Supplement"