Edith Stein's On the Problem of Empathy: A Companion

Empathy was a central topic of interest in the first half of the twentieth century, and Edith Steins dissertation and inaugural publication, On the Problem of Empathy, introduces her unique take on empathy, embodiment, phenomenology, and intersubjectivity. This companion provides a guide to Steins first philosophical masterpiece, including the most important influences on her thought, the structure and method of her argument, the place of this work in her oeuvre, its historical significance, and its relevance for contemporary philosophical discussions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 148 pages
Publication date: 29 May 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Empathy, a fundamental concept for understanding ourselves, others, and communities, gained significant attention in the early twentieth century among philosophers and emerging sciences of psychology and sociology. Edith Steins' dissertation and inaugural publication, On the Problem of Empathy, introduced her distinctive perspective on empathy, embodiment, phenomenology, and intersubjectivity. Her deep immersion in phenomenology and her intimate knowledge of the psychology and sociology of her time pose challenges for contemporary readers to comprehend. This companion provides a guide to Steins' first philosophical masterpiece. The opening essays, including a contribution from Íngrid Vendrell Ferran, highlight the most influential factors on Steins' thought around 1917, the structure and methodology of her argument, the position of this work in her oeuvre, its historical significance, and its relevance for contemporary philosophical discussions. Timothy Burns then offers a comprehensive and detailed summary of each section of Empathy, elucidating the argument that runs throughout this classic of philosophical thought.

Weight: 370g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666937169