Explored how Hans Blumenberg combined literary reading with philosophical thinking, revealing the intrinsic meaning of literary works through delicate experience and profound theoretical analysis.

Origins and New Knowledge

This article explores how the specialization of knowledge has led to numerous barriers between disciplines since the formation of the modern disciplinary system. However, philosophers still quote and interpret literary texts in their own way to avoid the constraints of logical centrism and more accurately address issues. German philosophers have a complex tradition of interpreting literary texts, such as Fichte, Schelling, Simmel, and others' interpretations of Goethe's Faust. German philosophers have a preference for poetry because it has a hidden connection with philosophical thought. Philosophers such as Heidegger, Adorno, and Benjamin all seek philosophical reflection from poetry. Hans Blumenberg is a language artist among German philosophers. His literary reading is not only a personal habit, but also a source of his contemplation on philosophy, historical issues, the world of life, and life themes. Blumenberg's literary style and rhetoric influenced the thinking and language expression of German intellectuals. His literary reading style has always been controversial, but with the systematization of his research, the newly discovered manuscripts have led people to re-examine the reasons why he pays attention to literary works. This article will analyze Blumenberg's early interpretation of literature, explore the theoretical curiosity behind his reading of literary works, and its connection to later philosophical research.

From 'When did I exist' to 'Being human'

In 1942, the Hanseatic League's ancient city of L ü beck was bombed, and the Blumenberg family's library was destroyed. From 1942 to 1986, Blumenberg recorded a reading list for forty-four years, reflecting his research content and cognitive transformation. Early book lists showed that he valued historical and literary works over philosophical works. In the German literary archives, Blumenberg's earliest signed article is about Hans Carosa, showcasing his concern for the spiritual world and the human condition in the world. He explores the question of "when did I exist" through literary works, focusing on individual inner monologues and the initial state of life. Blumenberg believed that the Copernican turn led people to feel uneasy about existence and to take responsibility for the content and meaning of their lives. He prefers novels, biographies, and diary letters because these genres provide detailed descriptions of the individual's state of existence. Blumenberg believed that philosophy cannot be an exact science because thought is composed of language, which has historical significance. He advocates updating the understanding of concepts of things through description, emphasizing that non conceptual elements are also part of rationality. His phenomenological anthropology monograph "The Description of Man" is based on the author's description of the external world and inner reality, and believes that the description of man has no end because his actions determine his existence.

It's natural to go

Hans Blumenberg extensively cites literary texts in his philosophical discourse, a characteristic that runs through all of his works. The publication of "Literary Theory: 1945-1958" in 2017 reveals Blumenberg's literary criticism work in the 1940s and 1950s, which not only recorded his comments on contemporary and foreign literature, but also reflected his early literary reading style and philosophical thinking. Blumenberg's literary criticism work is closely related to his research on medieval philosophy, phenomenology, and philosophical history. He uses literary criticism to digest personal reading and free thinking.

Review and prospect

Blumenberg turned to philosophical research after 1958 and created several philosophical works, but his early literary reading style and interests continued to play a role in philosophical argumentation. He focuses on the description of human beings in literature and explores "what it means to be human" from a philosophical and anthropological perspective, using literature as a medium for understanding the world and reflecting on the current situation. Literature provides specific descriptions for his philosophical thinking, helping to grasp non conceptual issues and observe new problems. Blumenberg believes that even if the existence of free and diverse cultures cannot be proven, human self assertion and resistance will leave traces, and works and culture will not die. Eastern philosophy also has poetic answers to the fleeting nature of time and the emptiness of life.