C. S. Lewis, renowned Christian apologist and beloved author of children’s novels, is rarely thought of as a “philosopher” per se despite having both studied and taught philosophy for several years at Oxford. Moreover, Lewis’s long journey to Christianity was essentially philosophical — passing through seven different stages. This journey, as well as every philosophical topic Lewis discussed, including metaphysics, natural theology, epistemology, logic, psychology, ethics, socio-political philosophy, and aesthetics are explained here in detail. Barkman incorporates previously unexplored treasures from Lewis’s unpublished philosophy lecture notes, lost philosophical essays, and hand-written annotations from copies of his philosophical books, such as Aristotle’s Ethics and Augustine’s City of God. _._._._._ “Indispensable” ~ Dr. James Como, author of “Remembering C.S. Lewis”._._._._._ “A magisterial work, chock full of fresh historical tidbits and penetrating analysis.” ~ Dr. David Bagget, author of “C.S. Lewis as Philosopher”.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A tour de force,
This review is from: C. S. Lewis & Philosophy as a Way of Life (Hardcover)
Although there are many books on the thought of C. S. Lewis, most of them are concerned with specific and relatively small areas of his overall work (relative being the key term here, considering the great territory the man's thoughts took in). An Amazon search for books on Lewis will reveal books on Lewis' view of gen...der, his view of heaven and hell, the planets of the solar system within his Narnia books, his argument from reason within "Miracles," his philosophy of education--but to my knowledge, no attempt up till now has been made to comprehensively and systematically summarize Lewis' philosophy, let alone his philosophical development. Such an attempt would be daunting, indeed. And yet, Adam Barkman has attempted--and succeeded in--just that task in his new book, "C. S. Lewis and Philosophy as a Way of Life."
The book is divided into two halves, the first dealing with Lewis' development as a philosopher, and the second with Lewis' positions on specific areas of philosophy, such as metaphysics, ethics, and so on. Such an analysis might sound like it would be as dry as unbuttered toast--and it likely would be of most other thinkers--but two points must be remembered. First, Lewis is the subject. Even the most amateur treatment would provide at least some interest solely based on the overwhelming interest of Lewis himself. (There is a reason why we are all still reading Lewis' books!) But Barkman's treatment of the subject matter is the furthest thing from amateur. A brief glance at the book's footnotes reveals that the author has done his homework. Second, Barkman carefully and clearly explains Lewis' view of philosophy as being a "way of life." This means that Lewis' philosophy was not of the 'purely academic, intellectual hair-splitting' variety, of which would only be of interest to specialists and students of philosophy. Lewis' philosophy was concerned with how we live; it was concerned with truth, and, most importantly, with living by it. As such, the subject matter is of interest to everyone. The book is expansive, at over 600 pages, but the length is justified. The wide scope of the book is testament not only to the breadth of Lewis' thought, but also to Barkman's admirable exploration of such a worthy topic. He draws from all corners of the Lewis library, and "Way of Life" serves as an introduction to many of Lewis' lesser known works. Also, one doesn't need to be a fan of Lewis, or even know much about Lewis to gain greatly from this book. Owing to the breadth of Lewis' philosophical interests and how well-read he was, and to the fact that Barkman has meticulously tracked down the sources of Lewis' ideas, this book serves as a great introduction for the neophyte to a very wide range of philosophy. My personal favourite was the chapter on Myth, Myth being an essential part of Lewis' journey to becoming a Christian. This chapter epitomizes Barkman's ability to give the reader much of the richness of the ideas that influenced Lewis without diminishing them into mere asides because of their relation to his development and mature thought. Myth is just such an idea that deserves contemplation, especially by any lovers of story (e.g. anyone who loved "Lord of the Rings"). As I said before, this book could be read by someone ignorant of who the man C. S. Lewis was, and that same reader would be enthralled by the vitality and profundity of the ideas it contains. Lewis was a lover of truth, and I'm convinced that this book will transform many readers into the same.... See More
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
NOT for the bathroom,
By Sean Bremner "h.h.oliver" (Nashville) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: C. S. Lewis & Philosophy as a Way of Life (Hardcover)
As someone who has always admired Lewis books, I felt like I kind of owed it to the man to try and understand more of the genius behind the pen. This book is a must for any fan of Lewis, and I can probably assume, an avid reader of the philosophy as well.
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best philosophy book ever,
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This review is from: C. S. Lewis & Philosophy as a Way of Life (Hardcover)
This book is excellent. Highly recommend it for anyone who wishes to explore Christian philosophy in an interesting new light.
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