Max Stirner

"The Ego and Its Own" from Max Stirner. Anarchism, German philosopher (1806-1856).

The Ego and Its Own

Art and Religion is a collection of Max Stirner's lesser known works from Art and Religion to You only have the courage to be destructive. As one of the most important anarchist philosophers who caused controversy in his time, it is understandable that when it came to subjects outside of his immediate political and societal rejection, he would have very interesting ideas in these subjects as well.

Art and Religion

The False Principle Of Our Education

Johann Kaspar Schmidt (aka Max Stirner) wrote this trailblazing political text in 1845. It is a statement that the individual is the measure of all things and establishes the foundation that existentialism, egoism, and nihilism are built on. Every group, every collectivity, demands collaboration with a set of rules and expectation, with a morality. Stirner provokes us to acknowledge our own capacity, as well as the capacities of those around us. Previously only available in English through a translation from 1907 (which tragically titled the book The Ego and his Own)--a translation that removed some of the biting humor and occasional crudities that make Stirner more fun to read--this translation by Wolfi Landstreicher corrects that, updates the language in general, and removes the confusion involved with using terms that have changed in meaning in the intervening years. From the translators introduction: I made this translation for those who rebel against all that is held sacred, against every society, every collectivity, every ideology, every abstraction that various authorities, institutions, or even other individuals try to impose on them as a "higher power," for those who know how to loot from a book like this, to take from it those conceptual tools and weapons that they can use in their own defiant, laughing, mocking self-creation, to rise up above and against the impositions of the mass. In other words I did this translation for those who know how to treat a book not as a sacred text to either be followed or hermeneutically dissected, but as an armory or a toolbox from which to take whatever will aid them in creating their lives, their enjoyments. This new version of Wolfi's translation includes an index (indices are good, we want more!) and a gorgeous cover that refutes many of the expected associations with this book.

The Unique and Its Property

"Presents English translations of Max Stirner's published responses to the major critics of his best known work, Der Einzige und sein Eigenthum ("The unique and its property"), including responses to Moses Hess, Ludwig Feuerbach, Szeliga in "Recensenten Stirner's" (Stirner's critics) and to Kuno Fischer in "Die Philosophischen Reaktionaere" (The philosophical reactionaries)."--verso of title page.

Stirner's Critics

L'unico e la sua proprietà. L'uomo anarchico

L'unico e la sua proprietà

啓治·片岡

唯一者とその所有

Biricik ve mülkiyeti

الأوحد و ملكيّته

You Only Have The Courage to be Destructive

Humanism and Realism, the Egoist way. A classic essay from Stirner.

The False Principle of Our Education: Or, Humanism and Realism

Publicado pela primeira vez em 1844, 'O Único e a sua Propriedade' vê finalmente a luz do dia em Portugal, numa edição que assinala os 25 anos da Antígona. Depois d’ O Capital de Karl Marx, talvez nenhum outro livro tenha sido tão polémico, alicerçando grande parte da produção teórica, ao nível das ideias filosóficas e revolucionárias, dos últimos 150 anos. Neste tempo de causas dúbias e obscuras, Stirner emerge do ruído de fundo da História, onde se misturam todas as vozes e vidas, sendo que a vida tem prioridade absoluta e está para além de todas as fórmulas ou instituições enquanto linha divisória que se procura ultrapassar e demolir. A causa de Stirner funda-se em nada, e este é o repto dirigido a todos os missionários de causas falhadas e tantas vezes sangrentas.

O único e a sua propriedade

Johann Caspar Schmidt, cuyo pseudónimo, Max Stirner, hace alusión a su amplia frente, nació en 1806 en la ciudad alemana de Bayreuth. Estudió filología, filosofía y teología en Königsberg, Erlangen y Berlín sin una meta determinada. Sus estudios fueron irregulares y con numerosas interrupciones. En 1837 Stirner se unió al club de jóvenes hegelianos conocido como «Los libres» que se reunía en Berlín, una tertulia filosófica y política donde trabó relación con Engels y Bruno Bauer. Aparte de esta asociación, Stirner llevó una vida retirada y silenciosa, sin apenas amigos ni relaciones sociales. En 1844 publicó su obra más conocida, El único y su propiedad, y en 1852 la primera parte de Historia de la reacción, obra que quedaría incompleta a su muerte, en 1856. El único y su propiedad sienta las bases del anarquismo individualista y es precursora del pensamiento nietzscheano. Para Stirner el individuo debe ser el único ser supremo, liberado del yugo de Dios y de su reflejo en los humanismos. Este individuo autoliberado es el Egoísta, el Único ­que más tarde daría lugar al Superhombre nietzscheano­, y sólo asumiendo sin hipocresías ese egoísmo esencial, el hombre puede llegar a ser feliz. Stirner distingue entre el concepto de sociedad, asociación forzosa y represiva de seres alienados controlada por el Estado, y el de libre asociación de individuos soberanos con fines mutuamente egoístas. «Nada prevalece sobre mí» sentencia sin concesiones. Esta obra, que no ha perdido un ápice de actualidad, según Habermas el producto de la rigurosidad de un monomaníaco, ha ejercido una profunda influencia en varias corrientes de pensamiento, que abarcan desde el anarquismo hasta el liberalismo capitalista

El único y su propiedad

Frente a la manía moderna de encasillar todo, la aparición de un pensamiento atípico genera rechazo. La defensa de Stirner del egoísmo radical, basada en la idea de que no hay mayores ególatras que Dios y el Estado (exigen obediencia absoluta), no encaja con las posturas actuales del individualismo, que en nombre de la libertad de acumular instaura un régimen desigual. Si la modernidad destronó a Dios y al Rey, fue sólo para poner otro yugo, que justifica atrocidades similares a las que combatía. En oposición al individuo gregario, Stirner propone al Único, el sujeto que hace suyos sus deseos y pensamientos, que no espera un código moral y que se atreve a aceptar las consecuencias. El Único quiere liberarse de las cadenas sociales y mentales que lo atan a una vida correcta y prefigurada.

El único y su propriedad

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The Ego and His Own

Fifty years sooner or later can make little difference in the case of a book so revolutionary as this. It saw the light when a so-called revolutionary movement was preparing in men's minds, which agitation was, however, only a disturbance due to desires to participate in government, and to govern and to be governed, in a manner different to that which prevails. The "revolutionists" of 1848 were bewitched with an idea. They were not at all the masters of ideas. Most of those who since that time have prided themselves upon being revolutionists have been and are likewise but the bondmen of an idea, -that of the different lodgment of authority. The temptation is, of course, present to attempt an explanation of the central thought of this work; but such an effort appears to be unnecessary to one who has the volume in his hand. The author's care in illustrating his meaning shows that he realized how prone the possessed man is to misunderstand whatever is not moulded according to the fashions in thinking. The author's learning was considerable, his command of words and ideas may never be excelled by another, and he judged it needful to develop his argument in manifold ways. So those who enter into the spirit of it will scarcely hope to impress others with the same conclusion in a more summary manner. Or, if one might deem that possible after reading Stirner, still one cannot think that it could be done so surely. The author has made certain work of it, even though he has to wait for his public; but still, the reception of the book by its critics amply proves the truth of the saying that one can give another arguments, but not understanding. The system-makers and system-believers thus far cannot get it out of their heads that any discourse about the nature of an ego must turn upon the common characteristics of egos, to make a systematic scheme of what they share as a generality. The critics inquire what kind of man the author is talking about. They repeat the question: What does he believe in? They fail to grasp the purport of the recorded answer: "I believe in myself"; which is attributed to a common soldier long before the time of Stirner. They ask, What is the principle of the self-conscious egoist, -the Einzige? To this perplexity Stirner says: Change the question; put "who?" instead of "what?" and an answer can then be given by naming him!

Excerpt from The Ego and His Own Nietzsche cites scores or hundreds of authors. Had he read everything, and not read Stirner? But Nietzsche is as unlike Stirner as a tight-mp0 performance is unlike an algebraic equation. Stirner loved liberty for himself, and loved to me any and all men and women taking liberty, and he had 410 Inst of power. Democracy to him was sham liberty, egoism the genuine liberty. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Max Stirner

About

Books

Join the club