The Hidden Meinong, 1853–1875

Politics, Religion, Education, History

Series: 

Author:
Venanzio Raspa
This book tells several stories: from Alexius Meinong’s life up to his university years, stories about the social, political and cultural environment where he grew up, stories that he tells in his oeuvre—the story of Arnold of Brescia, of the Jesuit order, of education in Austria and moments of Austrian history in the 19th century. This book is about history, politics, religion and education, and it is about ‘that arch-plague nationalism which has poisoned the flower of our European culture’ (Stefan Zweig, The World of Yesterday).
Copyright Year:
2026
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Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-75596-3
Publication:
20 Apr 2026
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Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-75595-6
Publication:
21 May 2026
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Venanzio Raspa, Ph.D. (1996), is Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at the University of Urbino. His scholarly interests include metaphysics, aesthetics, the history and philosophy of logic. He has published on the relations between logic and ontology, Aristotelian logic and modern logic, classical German philosophy, and Austrian philosophy (Meinong, Twardowski and Bolzano).
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of Figures
Abbreviations
Note on References

Introduction

Part 1 Beginnings and Education



Introduction to Part 1

1 The Origins (1853–1859)
 1 The Birthplace
 2 The Family
 3 The Early Years

Excursus: The Austrian Education System before and after 1848
 1 Education in Austrian Schools from the Theresian Reforms to 1848
 2 University Education from the Theresian Reforms to 1848
 3 Gymnasium Education after 1848
 4 University Education after 1848

2 School Instruction (1860–1870)
 1 The Academic Gymnasium
 2 The Academic Gymnasium in Meinong’s Time
 3 Meinong’s Gymnasium Studies

3 University Studies (1870–1874)
 1 The University of Vienna
 2 The Faculty of Philosophy
 3 Meinong’s University Studies
 4 Politics at Universities: Student Associations and Burschenschaften
 5 Meinong’s Political Commitment during His University Years
 6 Earning the Doctorate

Part 2 The Places of Conflict



Introduction to Part 2

4 Nationalism and Political Struggle
 1 A Tumultuous Assembly for the ⟨Address to Professor Aschbach⟩
 2 ⟨Critical Remarks on the Idea of an International Court of Arbitration⟩
 3 ⟨The Significance of the National Question for Austria⟩

5 Anticlericalism and Criticism of Religious Institutions
 1 “On Religion in Its Relations to Modern Civilisation”
 2 ⟨On the History of the Jesuit Order from the Second Half of the 18th Century⟩
 3 “Austrian Jesuit Gymnasiums in the Eighteenth Century”
 4 “Martin Luther Mentally Ill”: Accusation and Defence

6 Notes on the Austrian Education System
 1 School and University: Criticism and Proposals
 2 For a Secular School

7 The Value of History
 1 The Dissertation on Arnold of Brescia
 2 The Article “On the History of Arnold of Brescia”

Part 3 Turning Point and New Beginning



Introduction to Part 3

8 The Decision for Philosophy and the Encounter with Brentano (1874)
 1 Brentano in Vienna
 2 Meinong as Brentano’s Pupil

9 An Early Approach to Philosophy: Sparks on Friedrich Adolf Trendelenburg and Eugen Dühring (1875)
 1 A Little Philosophical Controversy
 2 “On the Characteristic of Contemporary ‘Gesinnung-Philosophy’ ”

10 New Lines of Research
 1 Meinong’s Philosophical Apprenticeship: At the School of Brentano (1875–1878)
 2 Meinong’s Philosophical Apprenticeship: Early Reviews and Hume-Studien i (1876–1877)
 3 The Privatdozent and Hume-Studien ii (1878–1882)
 4 Political Activity (1875–1887)

Appendix 1: Courses Attended by Meinong at the University of Vienna
Appendix 2: Brentano’s Lectures and Seminars Attended by Meinong at the University of Vienna
Appendix 3: Lectures and Seminars Held by Meinong at the University of Vienna
Bibliography
Index of Names
This book is of interest to all those curious about Austrian cultural history, Austrian philosophy, and those interested in the thought of Alexius Meinong.
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Publisher:
Brill
Language:
English
Pages:
xviii, 253 pp.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004755963

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