Walter Kaufmann and the Future of the Humanities

Abstract

Walter Kaufmann (1921–1980) is best remembered for his work on Nietzsche. However, from 1950 to the end of his life he produced a wing-raging and provocative body of philosophical criticism. At the heart of Kaufmann’s efforts was a concern for the humanities and its role in modern intellectual life. Kaufmann’s central meditation on this subject, The Future of the Humanities (1970) deserves more attention that it has received so far. It finds a way to blend two fundamental goals of contemporary theory, a quest of authenticity and the desire to foster a critical spirit. The way Kaufmann achieved these goals, testifying to his ongoing relevance for those who care about the humanities, is the subject of this essay.