The relationship between philosophy and history has long been a matter of contention. Philosophers have claimed that their pursuit of universal law and eternal verities elevated them beyond historians, who merely dabbled with the vagaries of the particular and the contingent. Historians responded with the argument that philosophy was important only in relation to its contribution to concrete, historical truth.

A greater challenge for both philosophers and historians than the defense of either of these positions has been to understand the convoluted issues surrounding the intersection of their respective disciplines. In "At the Nexus of Philosophy and History, " Bernard P. Dauenhauer has collected eleven essays that explore the relationship between the two disciplines and provide a significant, innovative response to the problems created by such exploration.

The original essays collected in this volume challenge the artificial distinctions and disciplinary parochialism that have too often characterized traditional academic debate. Instead of advancing any one elaborate theory, "At the Nexus of Philosophy and History" seeks to encourage a balanced approach toward the exploration of the two fields by demonstrating that a full understanding of the one is impossible without knowledge of the other.

This book focuses on a historical analysis of hte genesis of the idea of pure nature, which arose in reaction to the distorted Augustinianism of nominalist theologians at the end ot the Middle Ages.

This study sheds new light on Marx's achievement by presenting a critical reading of his interpretation of culture. Dupre discusses the relation of Marx to previous philosophers, especially Hegel; the stages of development and contradictions within Marx's conception of culture; and the contributions of the various Marxists who followed Marx. "An intelligent, discerning, and carefully nuanced reading of Marx. . . . Dupre presents a fluidity and diversity that is lacking in many other interpretations of Marx." -- Peter Stillman, The American Political Science Review "What makes the book notable is that it handles its subject more clearly, thoroughly, and indeed elegantly than most of its predecessors." -- Michael J. Kerlin, Theological Studies "Dupre is undoubtedly one of the most knowledgeable scholars of Marxism. . . . His study counts among the best ones written on the modern Prometheus." -- Max Wildiers, De Standard "A major work on Marx, displaying familiarity with the vast scope of his work and characterized by thoughtful and insightful analysis." -- Carol Gould "This book is very learned, well-written and readable. . . . Its value lies in its attempt to subordinate the basic tenets of Marx's thought to the question of how man's cultural activity is to be understood within the general framework of Marxism and how some of Marx's ideas concerning culture can be adapted apart from the dogmas of 'historical materialism.'" -- Leszek Kolakowski

This eagerly awaited study brings to completion Louis Dupre's planned trilogy on European culture during the modern epoch. Demonstrating remarkable erudition and sweeping breadth, The Quest of the Absolute analyzes Romanticism as a unique cultural phenomenon and a spiritual revolution. Dupre philosophically reflects on its attempts to recapture the past and transform the present in a movement that is partly a return to premodern culture and partly a violent protest against it. Following an introduction on the historical origins of the Romantic Movement, Dupre examines the principal Romantic poets of England (Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Keats), Germany (Goethe, Schiller, Novalis, Hoelderlin), and France (Lamartine, de Vigny, Hugo), all of whom, from different perspectives, pursued an absolute ideal. In the chapters of the second part, he concentrates on the critical principles of Romantic aesthetics, the Romantic image of the person as reflected in the novel, and Romantic ethical and political theories. In the chapters of the third, more speculative, part, he investigates the comprehensive syntheses of romantic thought in history, philosophy, and theology. The Quest of the Absolute is an important work both as the culmination of Dupre's ongoing project and as a classic in its own right. The book will meet the expectations of the specialist as well as appeal to more general readers with philosophical, cultural, and religious interests.

Religion and the Rise of Modern Culture describes and analyzes changing attitudes toward religion during three stages of modern European culture: the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the Romantic period. Louis Dupre is an expert guide to the complex historical and intellectual relation between religion and modern culture. Dupre begins by tracing the weakening of the Christian synthesis. At the end of the Middle Ages intellectual attitudes toward religion began to change. Theology, once the dominant science that had integrated all others, lost its commanding position. After the French Revolution, religion once again played a role in intellectual life, but not as the dominant force. Religion became transformed by intellectual and moral principles conceived independently of faith. Dupre explores this new situation in three areas: the literature of Romanticism (illustrated by Goethe, Schiller, and Hoelderlin); idealist philosophy (Schelling); and theology itself (Schleiermacher and Kierkegaard). Dupre argues that contemporary religion has not yet met the challenge presented by Romantic thought. Dupre's elegant and incisive book, based on the Erasmus Lectures he delivered at the University of Notre Dame in 2005, will challenge anyone interested in religion and the philosophy of culture.

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