Oswald Spengler
Oswald Spengler
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Full Name and Common Aliases
Oswald Arnold Gottfried Spengler was a German philosopher, historian, and social scientist.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on May 29, 1880
Died on May 9, 1936
Nationality and Profession(s)
German
Philosopher
Historian
Social Scientist
Early Life and Background
Oswald Spengler was born in Blankenburg am Harz, a small town in the kingdom of Prussia. His early life was marked by an interest in philosophy and history. He studied archaeology, philosophy, and art history at the University of Munich and later at the University of Berlin. During his time as a student, Spengler developed a keen interest in ancient cultures, particularly those of Greece and Rome.
Major Accomplishments
Spengler's most notable work is _The Decline of the West_ (German: _Der Untergang des Abendlandes_), published in 1918. This two-volume book is considered one of the most influential works of the 20th century, drawing parallels between ancient civilizations and modern society. The book posits that all cultures follow a similar trajectory of growth, decay, and collapse.
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to _The Decline of the West_, Spengler wrote several other notable books, including:
_Prussianism and Socialism_ (1919)
_Mensch und Geschichte_ (_Man and History_) (1931)
_Rosenlaui Briefe_ (_Rosenslau Letters_), a collection of letters written to Hermann keyserling in 1920
Spengler's work was influential among intellectuals and politicians, including Adolf Hitler. However, it is worth noting that Spengler himself did not support Nazi ideology.
Impact and Legacy
Spengler's ideas had far-reaching consequences for the development of modern thought. His concept of the "Morphology of Culture" influenced generations of scholars, from philosophers like Eric Voegelin to historians like Arnold Toynbee. The book _The Decline of the West_ was translated into numerous languages and sold millions of copies worldwide.
Spengler's critique of Western civilization resonated with those disillusioned by the aftermath of World War I. His ideas about the cyclical nature of history and the inevitability of decline spoke to a generation searching for meaning in a world torn apart by conflict.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Spengler is widely quoted due to his insightful commentary on human societies and cultures. His work provides a framework for understanding the development, rise, and fall of civilizations. The influence of Spengler's ideas can be seen in various areas:
Cultural Criticism: Spengler's concept of "Kultur" (culture) as opposed to "Zivilisation" (civilization) has been influential in shaping critical perspectives on modern society.
Historical Revisionism: His critique of traditional historical narratives and emphasis on the importance of cultural context have inspired new approaches to historical study.
Philosophy of History: Spengler's cyclical view of history has shaped philosophical debates about the nature of time, human progress, and the trajectory of civilizations.
Spengler's work continues to inspire new generations of scholars, thinkers, and leaders. His quotes often appear in books, articles, and lectures on topics ranging from cultural studies to philosophy and beyond.
Quotes by Oswald Spengler
Oswald Spengler's insights on:
This is our purpose: to make as meaningful as possible this life that has been bestowed upon us; to live in such a way that we may be proud of ourselves; to act in such a way that some part of us lives on.
To Goethe again we owe the profound saying: “the mathematician is only complete insofar as he feels within himself the beauty of the true.
Nature is the shape in which the man of higher Cultures synthesizes and interprets the immediate impressions of his senses. History is that from which his imagination seeks comprehension of the living existence of the world in relation to his own life, which he thereby invests with a deeper reality.
The question of whether world peace will ever be possible can only be answered by someone familiar with world history. To be familiar with world history means, however, to know human beings as they have been and always will be. There is a vast difference, which most people will never comprehend, between viewing future history as it will be and viewing it as one might like it to be. Peace is a desire, war is a fact; and history has never paid heed to human desires and ideals...
The very word “discovery” has something bluntly un-Classical in it. Classical man took good care not to take the cover, the material wrapping, off anything cosmic, but to do just this is the most characteristic impulse of a Faustian nature.
The primitive man experiences “soul,” first in other men and then in himself, as a Numen, just as he knows numina of the outer world, and develops his impressions in mythological form. His words for these things are symbols, sounds, not descriptive of the indescribable but indicative of it for him who hath ears to hear.
At the beginning a man was wealthy because he was powerful – now he is powerful because he has money. Intellect reaches the throne only when money puts it there. Democracy is the completed equating of money with political power.
Every thing-become is mortal. Not only peoples, languages, races and Culture are transient.
In place of a true-type people, born of and grown on the soil, there is a new sort of nomad, cohering unstably in fluid masses, the parasitical city dweller, traditionless, utterly matter-of-fact, religionless, clever, unfruitful, deeply contemptuous of the countryman and especially that highest form of countryman, the country gentleman...