Philosophie der symbolischen Formen

The three-volume "Philosophy of Symbolic Forms" is the outstanding work in which Cassirer transformed traditional transcendental philosophy into a philosophy of culture. Instead of pure rational knowledge, which always held primacy in modern philosophy, there is a plurality of symbolic forms, each expressing a specific spontaneity of the human spirit. The second part of the "Philosophy of Symbolic Forms" deals with the philosophical analysis of the form of myth from the perspective of the system of spiritual expressions. The structural examination aims to determine both the peculiar meaning and the limits of this form. Contrary to the widespread prejudice of objective nullity and thus irrelevance to philosophy, myth holds a special significance according to Cassirer.