Fanaticism: A Political Philosophical History

Zachary R. Goldsmith

Published by University of Pennsylvania Press 2022

Fanaticism

A Political Philosophical History

Zachary R. Goldsmith

https://doi.org/10.9783/9780812298628

Overview
Contents

About this book

Examining conceptualizations of fanaticism from different geographical, political, temporal, and contextual backgrounds, Zachary R. Goldsmith’s political-philosophical history of the concept offers an argument and warning against fanaticism, demonstrating that it is antidemocratic, illiberal, antipolitical, and never necessary.

As the post-WWII liberal democratic consensus comes under increasing assault around the globe, Zachary R. Goldsmith investigates a timely topic: the reemergence of fanaticism. His book demonstrates how the concept of fanaticism, so often flippantly invoked with little forethought, actually has a long history stretching back to ancient times. Tracing this history through the Reformation and the Enlightenment to our present moment of political extremism run amok, Goldsmith offers a novel account of fanaticism, detailing its transformation from a primarily religious to a political concept around the time of the French Revolution. He draws on the work of Immanuel Kant, Edmund Burke, and Fyodor Dostoevsky—all keen observers of fanaticism, and especially its political variant—in order to explore this crucial moment in the development of political fanaticism.

Examining conceptualizations of fanaticism from different geographical, political, temporal, and contextual backgrounds, Goldsmith reveals how the concept has changed over time and resists easy definition. Nevertheless, his analysis of the writings of key figures from the tradition of political thought regarding fanaticism yields a complex and nuanced understanding of the concept that allows us to productively identify and observe its most salient characteristics: irrationality, messianism, the embrace of abstraction, the desire for novelty, the pursuit of perfection, a lack of limits in politics, the embrace of violence, certainty, passion, and its perennial attraction to intellectuals. Goldsmith’s political-philosophical history of fanaticism offers us an argument and warning against fanaticism itself, demonstrating that fanaticism is antidemocratic, illiberal, antipolitical, and never necessary.

Author / Editor information

Zachary R. Goldsmith is Visiting Assistant Professor in the Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts program at Purdue University.

Reviews

All those concerned with the issues of the extreme in politics should find this work helpful, of real value.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
CONTENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
CHAPTER 1. Answering the Question: What Is Fanaticism? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
CHAPTER 2. Three Moments in the History of Fanaticism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	15
CHAPTER 3. Kant Between the Schwärmer and the Enthusiast Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	53
CHAPTER 4. Edmund Burke’s Critique of the “Philosophical Fanatics” Behind the French Revolution Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	81
CHAPTER 5. Dostoevsky’s Demons Encountering Political Fanaticism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	104
CONCLUSION. Confronting Fanaticism and Its Partisans Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	128
NOTES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	165
REFERENCES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	173
INDEX Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	187
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	195

Language: English
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Pages
- Main content: 208
Keywords: Fanaticism; Enthusiasm; Extremism; Political Theory; Political Philosophy; Concepts; Concept History; French Revolution; Immanuel Kant; Edmund Burke; Fyodor Dostoevsky; religion cult; virtue; liberalism; illiberalism; violence; intellectual history

eBook

Published: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 9780812298628