The ‘Death of God’ and the Crisis of Philosophy

Abstract

This chapter addresses the core of Morgenthau’s theory by examining the metaphysical assumptions which underpin it, with an emphasis on Morgenthau’s concern with the concept of ‘truth’. The analysis which follows is important because it unravels the significance of meaning in Morgenthau’s theory, and implicitly argues for reconsidering strict materialistic readings of Morgenthau, and for focusing on the normative aspects of his thought, with all their value and sophistication. At the same time, this analysis points to the opposite, typically modern and postmodern, visions of ‘truth’ which both permeate Morgenthau’s account, and shows that the issue of ‘truth’ is central to unlocking significant aspects of Morgenthau’s metaphysics.