First book-length study of one of the foremost South African philosophers Martin Versfeld (1909–1995) is one of South Africa’s greatest philosophers, appreciated by academics and activists, poets and the broader public. His masterful prose spans the tension between disquiet and joy. Detractor of the violent trends of modernity, a critic of apartheid from the first hour, he was among the first philosophers of ecology. At the same time he celebrated the generosity of the world and advocated an ethics of simplicity, drawing on mediaeval theology and Eastern wisdom. His philosophy offered food for thought in dark times of the 20th century, as it still does for us in the 21st century. This first book-length study on Versfeld is an invitation to think with him on justice and exploitation, cultural difference and human nature, religion and the environment, time and connectedness. Martin Versfeld (1909–1995) is one of South Africa’s greatest philosophers, appreciated by academics and activists, poets and the broader public. His masterful prose spans the tension between disquiet and joy. Detractor of the violent trends of modernity, a critic of apartheid from the first hour, he was among the first philosophers of ecology. At the same time he celebrated the generosity of the world and advocated an ethics of simplicity, drawing on mediaeval theology and Eastern wisdom. His philosophy offered food for thought in dark times of the 20th century, as it still does for us in the 21st century. This first book-length study on Versfeld is an invitation to think with him on justice and exploitation, cultural difference and human nature, religion and the environment, time and connectedness. PREFACE – Between joy and disquiet: Philosophising in dark times Major publications by Marthinus Versfeld 17 INTRODUCTIONS 1. “Fertilizer to the last” – Biographical snips (by Ruth Versfeld) 2. What was Versfeld doing when he was doing philosophy? 1. On the warts 2. From autobiography to enigma 3. Genre – Or, how to do things with words 4. Theology: A portrait of the philosopher as an odd fish 5. Polyphony of philosophy: Introductions, liberal translations, historical work 6. Apartheid and other empiresque behaviour 7. A note on celebration 8. On its most intimate lesson 9. Conclusion STUDIES 3. Self-knowledge and practical reason in a time of political madness 1. Introduction: Self-knowledge in a period of political madness 2. “Gods” and “idols” 3. War, exploitation, racism. Critique of social and political violence 4. Urgency, time and incarnation 5. Unity and decay 6. The concept of unity – Or, a philosophy of incarnation 7. Reception and continuation 4. Versfeld and Nietzsche: Strange bedfellows (by Paul van Tongeren) 1. Introduction 2. Sounding out idols 3. Man, morality and metaphysics 4. Nihilism 5. Conclusion 5. Grasping the truth from where we are 1. Introduction: Flux, stability and where we are 2. Anthropology as first philosophy 3. Traditions and cultural criticism 4. Using a thorn to take out a thorn, and throwing both away 5. Questioning from where we are 6. Versfeld’s dialogue with Eastern thought (By J. S. Krüger) 1. Introduction 2. Groundbreaking early works 3. Midcareer 4. Mature thought 5. Conclusion 7. Poiesis – On the voice of poets, philosophers and other potters 1. On writing 2. Connectedness 3. Creativity, love, generosity 4. Poiesis 5. Silence 8. Reverberations (poems by Marlene van Niekerk and Antjie Krog) CONCLUSIONS 9. Sanctus Marthinus laudator philosophicus – Or, sitting at the guru’s feet 10. What is living and what is dead of the philosophy of Martin Versfeld? – Or, the philosopher read by a vultur 1. Augustine: Ventriloquism or interpretation as independent thought? 2. Plurality 3. Something or nothing? 4. Close to the earth? 5. Land in Klip en klei – You said, “the obvious”? 6. Ecology: The logos on our common home 7. On subtle critique 8. Ambiguities of anthropology 9. The end Bibliography