Über den Nutzen der Ideengeschichte: Quentin Skinners Verteidigung der republikanischen Freiheit gegen den modernen Staat
(2005) Leviathan : Berliner Zeitschrift fuer Sozialwissenschaft — Vol. 33, n° 3, p. 384-390 (2005)
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- Authors
Weymans, Wim 
- Abstract
- For the British historian Quentin Skinner, understanding the meaning of philosophical texts from the past means reading them in their historical context rather than as answers to “timeless” questions. For all its success, Skinner’s innovative method faces a huge question: If classical uthors can only be understood in their context, how can their works be of any use to us today? Skinner solves this problem by arguing that a context-sensitive study of the past may reveal forgotten ideas which can enrich contemporary debates. He himself demonstrates that studying the context of Hobbes’ Leviathan not only allows us to see why it was written (and thus what it meant), but he also demonstrates that Hobbes intended to undercut a rival “republican” theory of freedom, which is now largely forgotten. By excavating this forgotten republican alternative, Skinner is able to enrich our views on freedom while questioning our ’Hobbesian’ understanding.
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Citations
Weymans, W. (2005). Über den Nutzen der Ideengeschichte: Quentin Skinners Verteidigung der republikanischen Freiheit gegen den modernen Staat. Leviathan : Berliner Zeitschrift fuer Sozialwissenschaft, 33(3), 384-390. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11578-005-0048-6 (Original work published 2005)