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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Time of the Magicians summary
Wolfram Eilenberger
Wittgenstein, Benjamin, Cassirer, Heidegger, and the Decade That Reinvented Philosophy
25 mins
Brief summary
Time of the Magicians by Wolfram Eilenberger is a narrative of four philosophers - Walter Benjamin, Martin Heidegger, Ernst Cassirer, and Ludwig Wittgenstein - whose ideas shaped the 20th century.
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Time of the Magicians
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Key idea 1 of 8
The Davos dispute between Heidegger and Cassirer exemplified the polarized mood of the 1920s.
The 1920s were an age of extremes. During the day, one technical innovation overtook the next: cinema, radio, and cars completely transformed urban life. And at night, people let themselves go in wild excesses at basement pubs and jazz clubs.
But it wasn’t all fun and games. In Germany, the economy groaned under reparation payments for World War I. Poverty and misery reigned in the freshly formed Weimar Republic. Politics, too, was turbulent: communists, fascists, social democrats, and conservatives all fought for power over the young republic – sometimes even in the streets.
Many Germans oscillated between a euphoric belief in progress and a desperate lack of prospects. No one really knew what the future would bring. And amid this uncertainty, two intellectual giants met for a legendary standoff.
Here’s the key message: The Davos dispute between Heidegger and Cassirer exemplified the polarized mood of the 1920s.
It was March 26, 1929, when every important name in contemporary philosophy gathered in the ballroom of the Belvédère Hotel in Davos, Switzerland, to watch the public debate of the decade.
Martin Heidegger and Ernst Cassirer, the two opponents, couldn’t have been more opposite. Cassirer was older and cosmopolitan, and he’d made a name for himself as a professor at the University of Hamburg. His challenger, Martin Heidegger, was the enfant terrible of philosophy. He was young, tanned, and sporty, and had only recently started teaching in Freiburg. The night before the debate, he ruffled the feathers of his philosophical elders by wearing his ski gear to dinner.
The subject of their philosophical showdown? Nothing less than the nature of humanity and the fundamental role of philosophy. The humanist Cassirer asserted that man was a culture-forming being who asks questions and finds answers in morals and ethics. Heidegger waved it off: ethics and truth were nothing more than man-made illusions to console us over the fact that there was no eternal life.
Cassirer was convinced that by creating artistic and cultural symbols, humans could lift themselves above their own mortality. Heidegger shook his head at this: not culture, but fear and death were the basis of human experience.
Humans have to confront their metaphysical insignificance in order to become free. Accordingly, the task of philosophy was to confront humans with the harsh truth of his existence. Once again, Cassirer strongly disagreed. He thought that the purpose of philosophy was to free us from our fears to uplift and liberate us.
The two simply couldn’t agree – their worldviews were too different and young Heidegger too stubborn. But their opposing views fit perfectly into the ambivalent atmosphere of 1920s Germany.
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What is Time of the Magicians about?
Time of the Magicians (2020) explores one of the greatest periods of German philosophy: the 1920s. In this decade of extraordinary intellectual productivity, thinkers like Martin Heidegger, Ernst Cassirer, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Walter Benjamin upended traditional philosophical thought completely and left a lasting mark on how we understand the world.
Time of the Magicians Review
Time of the Magicians (2020) explores the lives and ideas of four iconic philosophers who shaped the 20th century. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- With its meticulous research and deep insights, it offers a rich and comprehensive understanding of the intellectual landscape during that time.
- Through captivating storytelling, it brings to life the personal struggles and triumphs of Martin Heidegger, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Ernst Cassirer, and Walter Benjamin.
- By examining the intersection of philosophy, politics, and art, it illuminates the cultural and historical context in which these philosophers developed their ideas, providing a fascinating glimpse into a pivotal era.
Best quote from Time of the Magicians
If Davos had not happened, future historians would have had to invent it.
—Wolfram Eilenberger
Who should read Time of the Magicians?
- Armchair philosophers and critical thinkers
- History buffs interested in Germany’s roaring twenties
- Anyone who’s ever wondered about the meaning of life
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Time of the Magicians FAQs
What is the main message of Time of the Magicians?
The main message of Time of the Magicians is the exploration of four influential philosophers and their pursuit of truth and meaning.
How long does it take to read Time of the Magicians?
The reading time for Time of the Magicians varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Time of the Magicians a good book? Is it worth reading?
Time of the Magicians is a thought-provoking book that delves into the lives and ideas of influential philosophers. It offers valuable insights and is definitely worth reading.
Who is the author of Time of the Magicians?
Wolfram Eilenberger is the author of Time of the Magicians.
What to read after Time of the Magicians?
If you're wondering what to read next after Time of the Magicians, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Wisdom of Life by Arthur Schopenhauer
- Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche
- Leisure by Josef Pieper
- Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant
- Lives of the Stoics by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
- The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
- The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm
- A Little History of Philosophy by Nigel Warburton
- On the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche