Frederick the Great's Philosophical Writings

King Frederick II, Avi Lifschitz, Angela Scholar

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English

Princeton University Press
05 June 2024

European history; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900; Western philosophy: Enlightenment; Social & political philosophy; History of ideas

The first modern English edition of diverse Enlightenment-era writings by Prussian monarch Frederick the GreatFrederick II of Prussia (1712-86), best known as Frederick the Great, was a prolific writer of philosophical discourses, poems, epics, satires, and more, while maintaining extensive correspondence with prominent intellectuals, Voltaire among them. This edition of selected writings, the first to make a wide range of Frederick's most important ideas available to a modern English readership, moves beyond traditional attempts to see his work only in light of his political aims. In these pages, we can finally appreciate Frederick's influential contributions to the European Enlightenment-and his unusual role as a monarch who was also a published author.

In addition to Frederick's major opus, the Anti-Machiavel, the works presented here include essays, prefaces, reviews, and dialogues. The subjects discussed run the gamut from ethics to religion to political theory. Accompanied by critical annotations, the texts show that we can understand Frederick's views of kingship and the state only if we engage with a broad spectrum of his thought, including his attitudes toward morality and self-love. By contextualizing his arguments and impact on Enlightenment beliefs, this volume considers how we can reconcile Frederick's innovative public musings with his absolutist rule. Avi Lifschitz provides a robust and detailed introduction that discusses Frederick's life and work against the backdrop of eighteenth-century history and politics.

With its unparalleled scope and cross-disciplinary appeal, Frederick the Great's Philosophical Writings firmly establishes one monarch's multifaceted relevance for generations of readers and scholars to come.

By: King Frederick II
Edited by: Avi Lifschitz
Translated by: Angela Scholar
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9780691258911
ISBN 10: 0691258910
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 05 June 2024
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Avi Lifschitz is associate professor of European history at the University of Oxford, where he is fellow of Magdalen College. He is the author of Language and Enlightenment: The Berlin Debates of the Eighteenth Century and editor of Engaging with Rousseau. Twitter @Diderotesque

Reviews for Frederick the Great's Philosophical Writings

""This collection reveals the extent to which Frederick was engaged with the debates of the French Enlightenment and offers a textured picture of his intellectual world. . . . An invaluable tool.""---Anton M. Matytsin, Journal of Modern History