The Germans are living beyond their conceptual means, relying on a set of political self-interpretations that do not make sense theoretically, the author asserts. He comes to this conclusion by analyzing the terms freedom, human dignity, human rights, justice, and democracy. Ultimately, he argues that Germany needs a new national self-understanding that goes beyond the myth and piety of the dominant political philosophy.

Rüdiger Bittner, Universität Bielefeld.