Briefwechsel 1971-1978

Hans Blumenberg and Carl Schmitt were not only scientific opponents in their published writings. They continued the discussion of their fundamentally different views on the foundation and justification of modern claims to knowledge and the world in a series of letters. The correspondence, along with texts from Blumenberg's estate, documents an unlikely controversy that reveals significant scientific and biographical turning points. Latent issues that shaped the knowledge and history policy of the Federal Republic of Germany become tangible in this context. Since Carl Schmitt's replies have also left visible traces in the work, the edition includes not only the complete correspondence and additional unpublished texts from Blumenberg's estate but also excerpts from already published writings. The confrontation between the philosopher and the controversial jurist is comprehensively presented for the first time.