Philosophische Gespräche

work by Mendelssohn

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July 1, 2026

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Philosophische Gespräche (1755), meaning "Philosophical Speeches," was an early work by Moses Mendelssohn, a German Jewish philosopher and critic. Published with the help of his friend, the playwright Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, this work praised the ideas of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.1

Mendelssohn was a key figure in the Haskalah (Jewish Enlightenment), advocating for the assimilation of Jews into German society while also defending Jewish traditions. He sought to bridge Jewish heritage with the rationalism of the Enlightenment, promoting religious toleration and contributing to the emancipation of Jews in Germany. His philosophical writings, including Phaedo, oder über die Unsterblichkeit der Seele (1767), explored themes of the soul's immortality and religious freedom.12

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Moses Mendelssohn
…printed with Lessing’s help as Philosophische Gespräche (1755; “Philosophical Speeches”). That year Mendelssohn also published his Briefe über die Empfindungen (“Letters on Feeling”), stressing the spiritual significance of feelings.
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…printed with Lessing’s help as Philosophische Gespräche (1755; “Philosophical Speeches”). That year Mendelssohn also published his Briefe über die Empfindungen (“Letters on Feeling”), stressing the spiritual significance of feelings.
Read More