Lectures on the Essence of ReligionThis book, translated for the first time into English, presents the major statement of the philosophy of Ludwig Feuerbach. Here, in his most systematic work, Feuerbach’s thought on religion and on the philosophy of nature achieves its full maturity. Central to the thought of Feuerbach is the concept that man not God is the creator, that divinities are representations of man’s innermost feelings and ideas. Philosophy should turn from theology and speculative rationalism to sound factual anthropology. “My aim in these Lectures,” writes Feuerbach, “is to transform friends of God into friends of man, believers into thinkers, worshippers into workers, candidates for the other world into students of this world, Christians, who on their own confession are half-animal and half-angel, into men––whole men.” |
Contents
1 | |
10 | |
17 | |
FO U R T H L E CTURE | 25 |
FIFTH L E CTURE | 33 |
SIXTH L E CTURE | 40 |
SEVENT H L E CTURE | 49 |
EIGHT H L E CTURE | 58 |
N IN TH L E CTURE | 68 |
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Common terms and phrases
abstract absurd according ancient animal worship animals atheism attributes believe body cause conceive concept consequently cult death deified deny derived desires difference distinction divine doctrine earth egoism Essence of Christianity essence of religion eternal ethics everything evil example existence explain faith father fear feeling of dependency fulfilled God's gods Greeks ground head heaven heavenly honor human sacrifices idea immortality independent individual infer infinite Jakob Böhme Kamchadals least lectures Leibniz light ligion live man's mankind matter means merely mind miracles monotheism moral nature religion necessity object of religion organ origin pagan particular personified phenomena philosophers physical Plutarch political polytheism prayer presupposes proof purpose rationalist reality reason regard Romans says Luther sense sensuous solely Spinoza spirit striving for happiness supernatural theists theologians theology things thinking thought tion true truth universal wish word worship Zend Avesta Zeus