Michael Josef Fesl

The most important and extensive of Bernard Bolzano’s (1781–1848) correspondences is the one with his student and friend Michael Josef Fesl (1788–1864) which comprises altogether some 730 letters. Due to the great number of letters, starting with 1831, only Bolzano’s contributions are contained in his Collected Writings. Therefore, Fesl’s letters to Bolzano are published in the series "Beiträge zur Bolzano-Forschung". The present volume contains Fesl’s letters from the years 1831 to 1836. They focus on Bolzano’s publication projects, particularly the "Religious Confessions of Two Friends of Reason" (1835), Bolzano’s "Autobiography" (1836) and his "Theory of Science" (1837). Moreover, censorship and other political affairs are discussed as well as epidemics of that time, like cholera and typhus, and remedies like homeopathy or cold water therapy. Philosophical questions are if minor concern but, nevertheless, play also some specific role.