Complete collection of Schwarzschilds essays on the neoKantian Jewish philosopher Hermann Cohen.Steven S. Schwarzschild 19241989 was arguably the leading expositor of GermanJewish philosopher Hermann Cohen 18421918 undertaking a lifelong effort to reintroduce Cohens thought into contemporary philosophical discourse. In The Tragedy of Optimism George Y. Kohler brings together all of Schwarzschilds work on Cohen for the first time. Schwarzschilds readings of Cohen are unique and profound he was conversant with both worlds that shaped Cohens thought neoKantian German idealism and Jewish theology. The collection covers a wide range of subjects from ethics socialism the concept of human selfhood and the mathematics of the infinite to more explicitly Jewish themes. This volume includes two of Schwarzschilds previously unpublished manuscripts and a scholarly introduction by Kohler. Schwarzschild shows that despite its seeming defeat by events of the twentieth century Cohens optimism about human progress is a rational indeed necessary path to peace.