This book is really two books in one. The first of these, described on the fly leaf as a "Critical Introduction," is written by the translator, Jacob Needleman. It is devoted to a historical analysis of existential philosophy and occupies almost half of the entire volume. Needleman contrasts and compares the philosophy of Kant, Heidegger, Sartre, and Freud to that of Ludwig Binswanger. He presents a complex philosophical discussion of science, psychoanalysis, psychology, symbolism, and psychopathology.
The second part of the book contains seven papers by Binswanger and represents the most comprehensive collection of his works published in English. These papers vary widely in length (seven to 80 pages), subject matter, and date of publication (1930-1957), and do not include many of his most important works. The seven chapters could well use some unifying links and further editorial explanation. One patient is described in