Textbooks After Brucker

Abstract

The success of Brucker’s works on the general history of philosophy was extended in the second half of the eighteenth century by a series of textbooks produced for the universities, higher and lower secondary schools, and technical schools (Realschulen). In this way, Brucker emerged from closed erudite and academic circles and was studied at all levels of education. The authors of these textbooks (Formey, Büsching, Steinacher, Cäsar, Stöwe, Gurlitt, and Gmeiner) made use of Brucker’s historiographical work by summarising, abridging, and occasionally commenting on it, but always appraising it as a monumental work and an essential point of reference. In this way, they contributed to making Brucker’s history of philosophy a classic text for young people’s instruction on the history of philosophy.