RUcore: Rutgers University Community Repository
From polyhistory to subversion: the philological foundations of Hermann Samuel Reimarus's (1694-1768) radical enlightenment
Descriptive
TitleInfo
(displayLabel = Citation Title);
(type = uniform)
Title
From polyhistory to subversion: the philological foundations of Hermann Samuel Reimarus's (1694-1768) radical enlightenment
TitleInfo
(displayLabel = Other Title);
(type = alternative)
Title
Philological foundations of Hermann Samuel Reimarus's (1694-1768) radical enlightenment
Name
(ID = NAME001);
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Groetsch
NamePart
(type = given)
Ulrich
DisplayForm
Ulrich Groetsch
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
author
Name
(ID = NAME002);
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Mulsow
NamePart
(type = given)
Martin
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
DisplayForm
Martin Mulsow
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
chair
Name
(ID = NAME003);
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Kelley
NamePart
(type = given)
Donald R.
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
DisplayForm
Donald R. Kelley
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
internal member
Name
(ID = NAME004);
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Morrison
NamePart
(type = given)
Karl F.
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
DisplayForm
Karl F. Morrison
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
internal member
Name
(ID = NAME005);
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Rendsburg
NamePart
(type = given)
Gary A.
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
DisplayForm
Gary A. Rendsburg
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
internal member
Name
(ID = NAME006);
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Grafton
NamePart
(type = given)
Anthony T.
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
DisplayForm
Anthony T. Grafton
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
outside member
Name
(ID = NAME007);
(type = corporate)
NamePart
Rutgers University
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
degree grantor
Name
(ID = NAME008);
(type = corporate)
NamePart
Graduate School - New Brunswick
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
school
TypeOfResource
Text
Genre
(authority = marcgt)
theses
OriginInfo
DateCreated
(qualifier = exact)
2008
DateOther
(qualifier = exact);
(type = degree)
2008-10
Language
LanguageTerm
English
PhysicalDescription
Form
(authority = marcform)
electronic
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
iv, 274 pages
Abstract
This dissertation focuses on the distinguished scholar Hermann Samuel Reimarus (1694-1768) who, alongside Lessing, Kant, Mendelssohn, and Wolff, is one of the most significant and influential figures of the German Enlightenment. Reimarus is perhaps best known for his subversive critique of revelation, known as the Apologie oder Schutzschrift für die vernünftigen Verehrer Gottes [Apology or the Defense of the Reasonable Worshippers of God], which was published posthumously by Lessing and spurred the fragment controversy, one of the most important disputes of the German Enlightenment.
Generally, this controversy has provided the context for existing scholarship on Reimarus, and by labeling him a deist and radical Wolffian, modern scholars have primarily emphasized the philosophical nature of his criticism. An intensive examination of the Reimarus Nachlass, with its numerous handwritten drafts of the Apology, lecture notes, adversaria, and bibliographies, paired with an understanding of his education, the influence of his mentors, and his teaching career as professor of Oriental languages at the Gymnasium illustre in Hamburg reveals, however, why such an approach ultimately ignores who Reimarus really was: a classical scholar and skilled Hebraist, raised and bred in the world of the polyhistors.
By focusing on Reimarus's use of philology, antiquarianism, and Semitic languages I show how these fields, developed by humanists and reformers and perfected in the course of the seventeenth century, influenced Reimarus's "Radical Enlightenment." Therefore, this project will significantly contribute to discussions of the Radical Enlightenment and the creation of the modern world by illustrating how its proponents - such as Reimarus - remained indebted to the tradition of the humanists.
Generally, this controversy has provided the context for existing scholarship on Reimarus, and by labeling him a deist and radical Wolffian, modern scholars have primarily emphasized the philosophical nature of his criticism. An intensive examination of the Reimarus Nachlass, with its numerous handwritten drafts of the Apology, lecture notes, adversaria, and bibliographies, paired with an understanding of his education, the influence of his mentors, and his teaching career as professor of Oriental languages at the Gymnasium illustre in Hamburg reveals, however, why such an approach ultimately ignores who Reimarus really was: a classical scholar and skilled Hebraist, raised and bred in the world of the polyhistors.
By focusing on Reimarus's use of philology, antiquarianism, and Semitic languages I show how these fields, developed by humanists and reformers and perfected in the course of the seventeenth century, influenced Reimarus's "Radical Enlightenment." Therefore, this project will significantly contribute to discussions of the Radical Enlightenment and the creation of the modern world by illustrating how its proponents - such as Reimarus - remained indebted to the tradition of the humanists.
Note
(type = degree)
Ph.D.
Note
(type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references.
Subject
(ID = SUBJ1);
(authority = RUETD)
Topic
History
Subject
(ID = SUBJ2);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Reimarus, Hermann Samuel, 1694-1768--Criticism and interpretation
RelatedItem
(type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier
(type = local)
rucore19991600001
Identifier
(type = hdl)
http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.2/rucore10001600001.ETD.17482
Identifier
ETD_1229
Location
PhysicalLocation
(authority = marcorg);
(displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
NjNbRU
Identifier
(type = doi)
doi:10.7282/T3MP53MS
Genre
(authority = ExL-Esploro)
ETD doctoral
Back to the top
Rights
RightsDeclaration
(AUTHORITY = GS);
(ID = rulibRdec0006)
The author owns the copyright to this work.
Copyright
Status
Copyright protected
Availability
Status
Open
AssociatedEntity
(AUTHORITY = rulib);
(ID = 1)
Name
Ulrich Groetsch
Role
Copyright holder
Affiliation
Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
RightsEvent
(AUTHORITY = rulib);
(ID = 1)
Type
Permission or license
Detail
Non-exclusive ETD license
AssociatedObject
(AUTHORITY = rulib);
(ID = 1)
Type
License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
Back to the top
Technical
Format
(TYPE = mime);
(VERSION = )
application/x-tar
FileSize
(UNIT = bytes)
1456128
Checksum
(METHOD = SHA1)
f278f9e4b02e70b688ea564f0081bdb4915ecd17
ContentModel
ETD
CompressionScheme
other
OperatingSystem
(VERSION = 5.1)
windows xp
Format
(TYPE = mime);
(VERSION = NULL)
application/x-tar
Back to the top
Statistical Profile