Herder

Theologian, philosopher and linguist Johann Gottfried Herder (1744-1803), is one of the overlooked contributors to the history of ideas. His thought may be understood as the groundwork for the development of a new sort of Enlightenment Philosophy that seeks— in the name of a modest and respectful reason of singularity—to comprehend history, humankind and its culture as they are, in the infinite variety of their physical manifestations. Herder considered language as both the unifying principle between individuals and the expression of their cultural identity. This linguistic philosophy allowed him to develop a unified thought capable of shedding light on all of the disciplines of concern to his era, without slipping into the obscurities of an excessively rigid system. His admiration for all civilisations, which he refused to compare among themselves, his prudent approach to the historical syntheses of abstract universalism, and his ability to free the concept of humanity from its conceptual strait jacket are just some of the reasons why today’s readers will enjoy rekindling their interest in his philosophy.Olivier Dekensis a professor with an aggregation degree in Philosophy and a lecturer at Université de Tours. His current research work is devoted to the exploration of Kantian thought and contemporary French philosophy.