Friedrich Max Müller and the Role of Philology in Victorian Thought

Book Details:

• Author: Davis, John R.

• Binding: Paperback

• ISBN: 9780367220181

• Languages: English

• Number of Pages: 180

• Package Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches

About the Book:

Friedrich Max Müller (1823-1900), a German comparative philologist, was one of the most influential scholars of Victorian Britain. His academic journey, which began with translating the Rig Veda in 1846, became a lifelong endeavor after he was appointed as Taylor Professor of Modern Languages at Oxford in 1854. Müller's scholarly work had a profound impact on British intellectual life during the 19th century.

His pioneering book Comparative Mythology (1856) influenced thinkers like Herbert Spencer and Edward Burnett Tylor, elevating philology as one of the leading sciences. Müller's debates with Charles Darwin and his followers on the origin of language were central to the religious and philosophical reactions to Darwin's ideas on human descent. His theories on the connection between language and thought had lasting effects on fields like psychology, neurology, and education.

Müller's controversial theories on the "Aryan" language, preceding Sanskrit and ancient Greek, sparked debates on language, religion, and race, particularly concerning the Indian subcontinent. His monumental work, the 50-volume Sacred Books of the East, laid the groundwork for the academic study of comparative religion.

This volume offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary look at Müller's career, drawing from papers presented at a conference held at the German Historical Institute in London in 2015. Experts from various fields, including German studies, history, linguistics, philosophy, and religious studies, analyze Müller's far-reaching scholarship. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Publications of the English Goethe Society.

About the Author:

• John R. Davis is the editor of this comprehensive volume, offering new insights into the life and work of Friedrich Max Müller through an interdisciplinary lens.