The Myth of the State by Ernst Cassirer (review)

BOOK REVIEWS 355 Dr. Case's thesis, then, is hardly novel nor at the present time particularly pertinent. The study of Christianity in its beginnings can be rewarding . But, the reality of Christian supernaturalism and its origin and, therefore, the reason for the rise and survival of Christianity, entirely escape this book. Dominican House of Studies, River Forest, Illinois J. S. CoNsiDINE, 0. P. The Myth of the State. By ERNST CAsSIRER. Yale University Press: New Haven, Connecticut, 1946. Pp. 303 with Foreword. $3.75. This is the last book written by Mr. Ernst Cassirer. His other books, especially The Problem of Knowledge, lndividuurn und Kosmos in der Philosophie der Renaissance, and Essay on Man aroused widespread interest and established him as one of the most influential writers of contemporary times. In the foreword to this book, Mr. Charles W. Hendel, colleague and critic of the present work, states the occasion for the writing of " The Myth of the State." It came about because of the " dark, troubled times in which we were living," and " the friends of Professor Cassirer looked to him as the man who could speak with the wisest judgment, since he could interpret the situation of our time in the two great perspectives of history and philosophy." The book is divided into three parts. Part I is " What is Myth? " In this part, Mr. Cassirer outlines what various authorities have analyzed myth to be. These include such writers as Sir James Frazer, Levy-Bruhl, F. Max Miiller, Herbert Spencer, and Sigmund Freud. Mr. Cassirer examines them critically and finds that all tend to over-emphasize this or that element. His own conclusions on myth may be summarized as follows. As opposed to science, which gives a unity of thought, " religion and myth give us a unity of feeling." The myth is built up in an entirely fantastic world. Its only " objective " aspect is the objectification of feelings. " Myth does not arise solely from intellectual processes; it sprouts forth from deep human emotions." The myth is an emotion turned into an image. It is concerned not so much with individual experiences as with the objectification of man's social experiences. The genuine myth lives in a world of images which are not known as images but are regarded as realities. Mr. Cassirer particularly asociates myth with the difficult task of explaining death: it is myth that persuades us that death does not mean extinction of man's life, but rather only a change in the form of life. " In mythical thought the mystery of death is' turned into an image '-and by this trans- 356 BOOK REVIEWS formation, death ceases being a hard, unbearable physical fact; it becomes understandable and supportable."-If this brief summary of Mr. Cassirer's notion of myth entails some ambiguity, I think, nevertheless, it reflects accurately his treatment. The notion of myth is not clearly distinguished and there is a somewhat subtle identification of myth with religion. Part II is " The Struggle against Myth in the History of Political Theory." This is the major part of the book and analyzes thinkers who have struggled against myth in the history of political theory. It starts with the early Greeks and continues through Socrates, Plato, Aristotle (insufficiently ), St. Augustine, St. Thomas, Machiavelli, the various adherents to the Social Contract, the thinkers of the Enlightenment and of Romanticism . Some of Mr. Cassirer's best work as a " critical historian of ideas " appears in this section. Part III is "The Myth of the Twentieth Century." This section treats those who began the accomplishment of the twentieth century myth and those who fulfilled it. It starts with Thomas Carlyle and continues through Gobineau, Hegel, and the various political myth makers of the present century, particularly in Germany. At the conclusion of this, Mr. Cassirer adds a brief, final summary. It appears that a rather important question remains unresolved at the conclusion of the book. This question concerns the title itself of the book: Why the myth of the state? What is Mr. Cassirer's problem and why should it be stated in terms of myth? The problem presumably is the political disorder of the present time. Are...