About the book “Nicht wirklich:”

In “The Philosophy of 'As If'” for which the German philosopher Hans Vaihinger is best known, he states that “truth is merely the most expedient error.” One hundred years later, Dr. Anton Lichtenau, University Professor of Philosophy, asks himself just how many expedient errors have defined his life. An unexpected occurrence on his way to work has left him flustered. While his students attempt to interpret Vaihingers theories in their final exam, Lichtenau directs his gaze towards his own past. Was it mere coincidence that he was forced to complete his studies in Berlin, and not in Leningrad, as originally planned, due to his insufficient knowledge of Russian? In this alternate life - the one he hasn't lived – he would never have met Claudia, who, hence, would not have been able to break up with him, and... The more Liechtenau ventures into the labyrinthine territory of what-would-have-been-if-only deliberations, the more he loses his firm grip on formerly held certainties. In this novel, Jens Sparschuh undertakes a fascinating journey into the twilight realm between reality, memory, and imagination, hot on the trail of the forgotten philosopher Hans Vaihinger.

About the Panelists:

Jens Sparschuh was born in Chemnitz (then Karl-Marx-Stadt) and grew up in East Berlin. He studied philosophy and logic in Leningrad from 1973 until 1978. He received his Ph.D. from the Humboldt University of Berlin in 1983. Since then he has worked as an author of novels, essays, poetry collections and children's books. He received the Anna Seghers Prize in 1988, the Hörspielpreis Der Kriegsblinden in 1990, the Prix Chronos in 2018, and the Günter Grass Prize in 2019. He is currently the writer-in-residence at Deutsches Haus at NYU, thanks to a grant by the Deutscher Literaturfonds.

Eric Jarosinski is a writer, speaker, and German scholar. He is best known, however, as the editor of @NeinQuarterly, a Compendium of Utopian Negation found on Twitter.

Date and Time: Monday, October 28th, 6:00 PM-7:30 PM

Location: Deutsches Haus at NYU, 42 Washington Mews, New York, NY 10003

More Information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nicht-wirklich-an-evening-with-jens-sparschuh-and-eric-jarosinski-tickets-1028391104477?aff=oddtdtcreator