Point Based On Books A History of Western Philosophy
Title | : | A History of Western Philosophy |
Author | : | Bertrand Russell |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Touchstone Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 906 pages |
Published | : | January 30th 1986 by Simon & Schuster (first published 1945) |
Categories | : | Philosophy. History. Nonfiction. Classics. Reference. Politics. Religion |
Bertrand Russell
Paperback | Pages: 906 pages Rating: 4.08 | 30318 Users | 981 Reviews
Commentary Toward Books A History of Western Philosophy
Since its first publication in 1945 Lord Russell's A History of Western Philosophy has been universally acclaimed as the outstanding one-volume work on the subject—unparalleled in its comprehensiveness, its clarity, its erudition, its grace and wit. In seventy-six chapters he traces philosophy from the rise of Greek civilization to the emergence of logical analysis in the twentieth century. Among the philosophers considered are: Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Empedocles, Anaxagoras, the Atomists, Protagoras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, the Cynics, the Sceptics, the Epicureans, the Stoics, Plotinus, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Benedict, Gregory the Great, John the Scot, Aquinas, Duns Scotus, William of Occam, Machiavelli, Erasmus, More, Bacon, Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, the Utilitarians, Marx, Bergson, James, Dewey, and lastly the philosophers with whom Lord Russell himself is most closely associated -- Cantor, Frege, and Whitehead, co-author with Russell of the monumental Principia Mathematica.Declare Books To A History of Western Philosophy
Original Title: | A History of Western Philosophy And Its Connection with Political and Social Circumstances from the Earliest Times to the Present Day |
ISBN: | 0671201581 (ISBN13: 9780671201586) |
Edition Language: | English |
Rating Based On Books A History of Western Philosophy
Ratings: 4.08 From 30318 Users | 981 ReviewsEvaluation Based On Books A History of Western Philosophy
Ray Monk"A History of Western Philosophy remains unchallenged as the perfect introduction to its subject. Russell...writes with the kind of verve, freshness and personal engagement that lesser spirits would never have permitted themselves. This boldness, together with the astonishing breadth of his general historical knowledge, allows him to put philosophers into their social and cultural context... The result is exactly the kind of philosophy that most people would like to read, but which onlyThis is the mother of all books!This tome was apparently dictated by Bertrand Russell to his secretary during his lecture trips in America as he traveled by train across the country in the 1940s.It is witty, provocative, profound, and informative all at the same time.If you want to know what genius is, then read this book. It is the encapsulation of the entire philosophical thoughts of the western world, written (well, dictated) in the most engaging way possible. Need I say more? Read it.[Alas,
I enjoyed this a bit too much. The History of Western Philosophy is exactly my kind of book, and so this review will be biased.This, however, illustrates my first point. Ones opinion of this work will largely depend on ones opinion of Russell. This is because he frequently injects his views, ideas, and opinions into the text. I happen to love the guy; Im sure reactions will differ.In this history, Russell does not entirely succeed in his stated goal. What he was trying to do was to firmly
This is THE absolute reference book for Western Philosophy. Starting from the Pro-Socratic times and ending at the dawn of the 20th century, Russel goes through all the major philosophical movements of the West. The thought of most major philosophers is being beautifully laid down and analysed by one of the greatest minds of the 20th century. Despite being very dense, the book is wonderfully readable, so if you have any interest in the matter this is a work that should be in your library (and in
A Critical (& Patronizing) Survey of Western PhilosophyRussell is consistently opinionated throughout his presentation and it might confuse some of the readers that he is so casual in writing off some of the major philosophers and their key ideas. This is because the book is not a mere history of philosophy, a mere account of ideas, by any stretch. Instead it is a critical survey, a long catalogue of what Russell agrees and disagrees with among all the major doctrines. The format followed
I stole this off my father's shelves many years ago. The indications on the inside cover was that he read it in Finland in 1959 - I think he once missed a train there and the next one wasn't for a week.It's true that this is in many respects a heavy, dry, and testing read. On the other hand it's full of interesting anecdotes about the philosophers themselves, from the earliest of ancient Greeks to Russell's contemporaries in the 20th century. And Russell, a mathematician of the highest order as
There's a throwaway remark in this book which has haunted me ever since I read it some time in the mid-70s. Russell is talking about Socrates, and he wonders if Socrates actually existed. Maybe Plato made him up."I don't think many people would have been able to make up Socrates," muses Russell. "But Plato could have done it."It's hard not to continue this line of reasoning. If Socrates turns out to be fictional, who else is? And which fictional characters of today will later be accepted as
0 Comments