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book: A Manual for the Freest Spirits
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A Manual for the Freest Spirits

On Free Will, Religion, Metaphysics, and Feminism
  • Edited by: and
  • Translated by: and
Languages: English, German
Published/Copyright: 2025
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Women Philosophers Heritage Collection

About this book

Helene Druskowitz (1856–1918) was the first German-speaking women to acquire a PhD in philosophy. She explored free will, religion, metaphysics, and feminism. In the four small books presented in this volume, she discusses previous attempts to replace religion (esp. Comte, Mill, Feuerbach, Lange, Nietzsche, Duboc, Düring, and Salter), advocates replacing religion with knowledge-based worldviews, proposes a dualism between matter and transcendent reality, and argues for moral responsibility without free will.

The book includes the English translations, a comprehensive introduction, and the German text.

As a radical feminist, Druskowitz advocated for gender segregation and women-led societal reform, even proposing human extinction as a moral imperative. Her ideas on male dominance and environmental degradation anticipated later eco-feminist thought. Though not widely recognized in her time, Druskowitz’s work offers valuable insights into feminist philosophy, eco-feminism, and discussions on free will and criticisms of religion, providing historical context for these ideas’ evolution in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Also available as paperback: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/isbn/9783119148658/html

Author / Editor information

Luka Boršić and Ivana Skuhala Karasman, Institute of Philosophy, Croatia.

Topics

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    Frontmatter

    I
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    Contents

    V
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    Introduction

    1
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    Translators’ Notes

    50
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    How Is Responsibility and Attribution Possible Without the Assumption of Free Will? An Investigation by Dr H. Druskowitz

    53
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    Modern Attempts at a Replacement for Religion. A Philosophical Essay by Dr H. Druskowitz

    73
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    Towards a New Doctrine. Observations by Dr H. Druskowitz

    126
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    Pessimistic Cardinal Propositions. A Manual for the Freest Spirits by Erna (Dr Helene von Druskowitz)

    152
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  • German Original Texts
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    German Original Texts

    173
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    Wie ist Verantwortung und Zurechnung ohne Annahme der Willensfreiheit möglich? Eine Untersuchung von Dr. H. Druskowitz

    175
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    Moderne Versuche eines Religionseratzes. Ein philosophischer Essay von Dr. H. Druskowitz

    197
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    Zur neuen Lehre. Betrachtungen von Dr. H. Druskowitz

    255
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    Pessimistische Kardinalsätze. Ein Vademekum für die freiesten Geister von Erna (Dr. Helene von Druskowitz)

    282
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    Index of Names

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    Index of Subjects

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Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook published on:
December 15, 2025
eBook ISBN:
9783111709963
Hardcover published on:
December 15, 2025
Hardcover ISBN:
9783119148757
Original publisher:
Georg Weiß / Herrosé Ziemsen
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
Front matter:
6
Main content:
306
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111709963
eBook ISBN: 9783111709963
Hardcover ISBN: 9783119148757
Keywords for this book
Free Will; Responsibility; Religion; Evil
Audience(s) for this book
Researchers, Postgraduates, Teachers and Instructors
Safety & product resources
Manufacturer information:
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Genthiner Straße 13
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