The place of Albert Schweitzer in contemporary philosophy and why we should concern ourselves with his ethical thought nonetheless

Abstract

As a philosopher, Albert Schweitzer is known chiefly for his notion of Reverence for Life, as well as his statement that “My life is my argument.” Yet The Philosophy of Civilization, his philosophical magnum opus, is a sweeping analysis, and to some extent, indictment of the Western philosophical tradition, especially in the period after the eighteenth century. In examining his analysis and indictment, I try to render a clearer picture of Schweitzer’s critique of modern philosophy, drawing from it inferences concerning what Schweitzer believes concerning the nature of the most true and most profound ethics. I also examine the role of ethical impulses in a rigorous argument. Finally, I argue that Schweitzer should have a more prominent place in contemporary discussions of ethics. iii.