Russell, Idealism, and the Emergence of Analytic Philosophy (Clarendon Paperbacks) [Paperback]

Peter Hylton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 11, 1993 | ISBN-10: 019824018X | ISBN-13: 978-0198240181

Analytic philosophy has become the dominant philosophical tradition in the English-speaking world. This book illuminates that tradition through a historical examination of a crucial period in its formation: the rejection of Idealism by Bertrand Russell and G.E. Moore at the beginning of the twentieth century, and the subsequent development of Russell's thought in the period before the First World War.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a wonderful example of an emerging genre: treatments that are both genuinely philosophic and genuinely historical about recent philosophers."--Philosophical Review

"An impressive analysis of Russellian ideas that refreshes our vision of Russell's place in modern philosophy....Not to be missed by anyone who would be informed about Bertrand Russell's role in closing the curtain on nineteenth-century idealism and bringing on stage the new act called analytic philosophy."--International Philosophical Quarterly

"Here, at last, is a philosophically sophisticated, historically sensitive, and richly detailed account of the events that led to the overthrow of the sort of idealism that prevailed at Oxford and Cambridge at the turn of the century and its replacement by so-called analytic philosophy....A splendid book. A most welcome achievement and a must for any academic library."--Choice

"An excellent book for relatively advanced students who want to understand the currents of thought at work in early 20th-century philosophy. Highly recommended."--Barbara Hannan, University of New Mexico

"For anyone interested in the history of analytic philosophy, this book is essential. Well-written and such detail."--Michael Goodman, Humboldt State Univ.

About the Author

Peter Hylton is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at University of California, Santa Barbara.

Product Details

• Paperback: 440 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (February 11, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019824018X
• ISBN-13: 978-0198240181
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,342,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Quality Piece of Scholarship, April 6, 2000

By 

John J. Callanan (North Potomac, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Russell, Idealism, and the Emergence of Analytic Philosophy (Clarendon Paperbacks) (Paperback)

Peter Hylton's book is very impressive. It was awarded the Franklin J. Matchette Prize by the american Philosophical Association in 1993, and deservedly so. It is, as indicated in the title, an account of the origins of what is known as the analytic tradition in philosophy, with particular focus on the early work of Bertrand Russell. What is remarkable about this work is the dedication to historical analysis. The analytic tradition is notoriously dismissive of the value of historical analysis in regard to the possibility of philosophical understanding. What Hylton is engaged in here is a historical analysis of the analytic tradition itself, in order to try and better understand its origins and development. The main focus of Hylton's analysis concerns Russell's previous advocacy of idealism, inherited from Kant and Hegel by British philosophers such as Green, Bradley and McTaggart. Hylton makes extensive discussion of the general themes of British idealism and then characterises Russell's support but subsequent rejection of this trend. The subject matter could be difficult and obscure, but Hylton handles the ground comfortably, rarely forsaking depth, and acknowledging when he does. The only drawback might be that one will benefit much more from the book if one has at least a passing familiarity with the work of Kant and Hegel as background. Ultimately this is an valuable work for anyone with a strong interest in philosophy, whether it be the historian of philosophy investigating the development of the analytic tradition from the idealist one, or the analytic philosopher wishing to learn more about the origins of his field.