Conceived originally as a serious presentation of the development of philosophy for Catholic seminary students, Frederick Copleston's nine-volume A History Of Philosophy has journeyed far beyond the modest purpose of its author to universal acclaim as the best history of philosophy in English.
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Conceived originally as a serious presentation of the development of philosophy for Catholic seminary students, Frederick Copleston's nine-volume A History Of Philosophy has journeyed far beyond the modest purpose of its author to universal acclaim as the best history of philosophy in English.
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Conceived originally as a serious presentation of the development of philosophy for Catholic seminary students, Frederick Copleston's nine-volume A History Of Philosophy has journeyed far beyond the modest purpose of its author to universal acclaim as the best history of philosophy in English.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
From Empirical Science to Idealism and Back Again!,
By Kevin Currie-Knight "Education Grad Student" (Newark, Delaware) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (TOP 500 REVIEWER)
This review is from: A History of Philosophy, Vol. 8: Modern Philosophy - Empiricism, Idealism, and Pragmatism in Britain and America (Paperback)
Anyone that wants to study an informative yet well-written history of philososphy must thank Frederick Copleston. Of course, most histories are one-volume and while fun, hardly in-depth, this history is a whopping 9 volumes and consists of extremely detailed and thoughtful chapters on each major (and many minor) thinker(s). Remarkably enough, though, Copleston is eminently readable and is devoid of the technical jargon that would have seemed indespensible to a lesser writer. Always lucid, exciting, and exactingly informative, this set and book herein is highly recommended for the serious philophy student and the curious lay-person (who has time on their hands).This particular penultimate volume focuses on the rise of scientific empiricism in the Darwinian age, the corresponding reaction of philosophic idealism, the pragmatism of America that tried to found something of a middle ground between extremes, and the "full circle" swing back into logicl positivism and scientism. Coploeston does a good job profiling the thinkers here. In particular, I know little about idealism so it was exciting to see so many good chapters On Bosquiet, Bradley, Royce, and others. The chapters (while I still can't pretend to understand idealism) were quite lucid (at least now I'll be able to fake my way through it). Most exciting though were the chapters on J.S. Mill, the chapter on the scientific thinkers from Darwin to Huxley, the chapters on pragmatists James, Peirce, and Dewey, and the chapter on the return to empiricism with G.E. Moore. Bertrand Russell is also covered at length. Throughout it all, Copleston is mindful to keep the reader aware of the over-arching story - each thinker he broaches is brought up in a regard as a response to, or elaboration on, another thinker. The scientific empiricists came up and successfully reformulated philosophy into a materialism of sorts replete with hedonism and naturalism in ethics. The idealists came up as a reaction to that, downplaying physicalism and paying more heed to the human's spiritual craving. And justas the idealists had reacted to scientific empiricism, logical positivism reacted to idealism bringing the pendullum back to its original position after swinging too far one way and then to the other. All in all, this was a highly informative book and will be of interest to students with a hankering for the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in British and American though. The volume after this one - the last of the set - focuses on the same time period, but more intently on French (and I believe, German) thought. Enjoy.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Review Of Copleston's Eighth Volume, History Of Philosophy,
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This review is from: A History of Philosophy, Vol. 8: Modern Philosophy - Empiricism, Idealism, and Pragmatism in Britain and America (Paperback)
My Credentials:I'm merely a student of philosophy, not a teacher, so I can hardly speak from a scholarly position. However, I have read Copleston through the eighth volume, and so I would freely refer to myself as a vetern of his work; I know its strengths and weaknesses. Review: The volume opens with an impressive account of utilitarian philosophy, and carries on to cover a variety of empiricist and agnostic philosophers. The entries on Bradley, Bosanquet and the British idealists seem a bit excessive, whereas the writings on Emerson are minimal and Thoreau is given a one line mention. It may be that I speak from an American bias. Pragmatism is covered in fair measure, followed closely be a well-rounded exposition on the analytic movement and Russell. Admittedly, Copleston devolves toward the close of the work. His biography of Russell is scattered throughout all three sections on the philosopher, and his conclusion should be renamed "scattered notes on Wittgenstein and neo-positivism," both of which are poorly covered. Some non-thematic notes about this volume. Copleston begins adding a noticeable amount of British slang (nothing that can't be found quickly through Google, mind you).
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Introduction to Philosophy Out There!,
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This review is from: A History of Philosophy, Vol. 8: Modern Philosophy - Empiricism, Idealism, and Pragmatism in Britain and America (Paperback)
Copleston's series, "The History of Philosophy", is quite possibly the best introduction to the history of philosophical thought that has ever been published and certainly the best currently in print.You will be hard pressed to find a better collection of solid philosophical surveys in one place. The beauty of the series is that Copleston has clearly done his research on each period and each thinker of Western philosophy. I cannot recommend this series any more highly. It is a must-have collection for anyone who is a scholar (professional or casual) of philosophy, theology or any of the arts. If this isn't on your bookshelf, it should be!
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First Sentence:
1. THE philosophy of David Hume, which represented the culmination of classical British empiricism, called forth a lively reaction on the part of Thomas Reid and his successors. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
personal idealists, phenomenalistic analysis, personal idealism, real assent, minimum vocabulary, explicit metaphysics, determining correspondence, unlimited community, particular uniformities, sentient experience, emotive attitude, notional assent, idealist movement, positivist criterion, absolute experience, pragmatist movement, reductive analysis, finite selves, moral vocation, utilitarian movement, absolute idealism, militant type, tertiary qualities, pragmatist theory, finite self Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
James Mill, Great Britain, William James, Bertrand Russell, Contemporary British Philosophy, System of Logic, Gifford Lectures, Auguste Comte, Cook Wilson, Herbert Spencer, Principia Mathematica, The Principles of Mathematics, Duke of Wellington, Ethical Studies, First World War, New York, Sir William Hamilton, United States, James Ward, John Caird, The Nature of Existence, Dugald Stewart, Great Community, Philosophical Essays, Principia Ethica New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
1. THE philosophy of David Hume, which represented the culmination of classical British empiricism, called forth a lively reaction on the part of Thomas Reid and his successors. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
personal idealists, phenomenalistic analysis, personal idealism, real assent, minimum vocabulary, explicit metaphysics, determining correspondence, unlimited community, particular uniformities, sentient experience, emotive attitude, notional assent, idealist movement, positivist criterion, absolute experience, pragmatist movement, reductive analysis, finite selves, moral vocation, utilitarian movement, absolute idealism, militant type, tertiary qualities, pragmatist theory, finite self Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
James Mill, Great Britain, William James, Bertrand Russell, Contemporary British Philosophy, System of Logic, Gifford Lectures, Auguste Comte, Cook Wilson, Herbert Spencer, Principia Mathematica, The Principles of Mathematics, Duke of Wellington, Ethical Studies, First World War, New York, Sir William Hamilton, United States, James Ward, John Caird, The Nature of Existence, Dugald Stewart, Great Community, Philosophical Essays, Principia Ethica New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 167
books:
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- A System of Logic Ratiocinative and Inductive, 2 vols by John Stuart Mill on 10 pages
- Principles of Logic, The by F. H. Bradley on 7 pages
- Democracy And Education by John Dewey on 5 pages
- Logic and Knowledge by Russell B on 5 pages
- The Principles of Psychology, Vol. 1 by William James on 4 pages
See all 167 books this book cites
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