Isaak Iselin (7 March 1728 in Basel – 15 July 1782 in Basel) was a Swiss philosopher of history and politics.[1]
Iselin studied law and philosophy at the University of Basel and the University of Göttingen. In 1756 he became secretary of the republic of Basel. He was a co-founder of the Helvetic Society, the first national Swiss reform society.[1]
Critique of Rousseau
The popular opposition to Rousseau and critical acclaim of publications by Montesquieu triggered Iselin to rethink his musings, as evident in the published Vermischte Schriften (collected early short-pieces). At the end Iselin's 1746 Geschichte der Menschheit ("History of Humanity") was cautious but nevertheless optimistic.[1]
Works
- Philosophische und Politische Versuche, 1760
- Ueber die Geschichte der Menschheit, 1764
- Versuch über die gesellige Ordnung, 1772
- Träume eines Menschenfreundes, 1776
Recent edition of Iselin's works
- Gesammelte Schriften. Kommentierte Ausgabe. Schwabe Verlag, Basel 2014–2018.
- volume 1: Schriften zur Politik, ed. by Florian Gelzer, 2014, ISBN 978-3-7965-3339-6.
- volume 2: Schriften zur Ökonomie, ed. by Lina Weber, 2016, ISBN 978-3-7965-3442-3.
- volume 3: Schriften zur Pädagogik, ed. by Marcel Naas, 2014, ISBN 978-3-7965-3340-2.
- volume 4: Geschichte der Menschheit, ed. by Sundar Henny, 2018, ISBN 978-3-7965-3497-3 (open access).
References
- Béla Kapossy, Iselin contra Rousseau: Sociable Patriotism and the History of Mankind (Basel, Switzerland: Schwabe, 2006) (Schwabe Philosophica, 9).
- Andreas Urs Sommer, Geschichte als Trost. Isaak Iselins Geschichtsphilosophie (Basel: Schwabe, 2002) (= Schwabe Horizonte) (ISBN 3-7965-1940-7).
- Lucas Marco Gisi / Wolfgang Rother (ed.), Isaak Iselin und die Geschichtsphilosophie der europäischen Aufklärung (Basel: Schwabe, 2011).
See also
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
