"Philosophy and Secrecy "is the first comprehensive exploration and history of philosophical esotericismthe practice of communicating one s deepest thoughts primarily between the lines in the West. Arthur M. Melzer s aim is not to get people to like or endorse esotericism but simply to recognize and understand it as a historical reality that was an active and accepted part of the Western philosophical tradition until the end of the eighteenth century. Like a helpful guide, Melzer walks the reader through what esoteric ...
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"Philosophy and Secrecy "is the first comprehensive exploration and history of philosophical esotericismthe practice of communicating one s deepest thoughts primarily between the lines in the West. Arthur M. Melzer s aim is not to get people to like or endorse esotericism but simply to recognize and understand it as a historical reality that was an active and accepted part of the Western philosophical tradition until the end of the eighteenth century. Like a helpful guide, Melzer walks the reader through what esoteric writing looks like and how it works, offering readings of an ancient (Plato) and modern (Machiavelli) work. It is not based on a secret code of some sort, but on the use of rhetorical techniques that we still employ like metaphor, irony, and insinuation. He also uncovers the different motivations that led writers to disguise their thoughts. At the same time, Melzer explores why we in the modern age seem so averse not just to the practice of esotericism, but even to the mere acknowledgment of its previous existence. But how can one recover this now-lost way of reading? Melzer provides a marvelous Beginner s Guide to Esoteric Reading whichcomparing esoteric reading to reading poetry or, more aptly, to reading a love letterdemonstrates that, while it is an art and not a science, it can be learned. One cannot fully understand the Western philosophical tradition without taking esotericism into account, and Melzer s book provides the perfect guide."
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