Idea of Nature (Oxford Paperbacks) [IMPORT] (Paperback)

by R.G. Collingwood (Author)
Key Phrases: primitive matter, primitive substance, Diogenes Laertius, Lloyd Morgan, Sir David Ross (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (December 1965)
• ISBN-10: 0198810970
• ISBN-13: 978-0198810971
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A worthy study, at times illuminating., November 19, 2003

By	Frank Bierbrauer (Cardiff, Wales, UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Idea of Nature (Galaxy Books) (Paperback)

R. G. Collingwood has produced a little book detailing how the concept/idea of nature changed throughout western history (notably any Chinese or Indian construction is left out). Collingwood has a very deep understanding, especially of the Greek philosophers, and one feels his familiarity with their work in contrast to later philosophers such as Spinoza or Descartes. He bases his study of this change on three fundamental principles he has singled out to describe "nature" within each period. These periods are defined by the Greek/middle ages period extending from 500BC to around the 14th Century, the Renaissance period extending from the 15th Century to the late 19th and the modern one from there onwards. In each case he characterises the conception of nature as, (in a book of 180 pages)

1. Greek period: nature as a living organism, 70 pages.
2. Renaissance period: nature as a machine, 20 pages.
3. Modern period: nature viewed as evolving, 60 pages.

the remaining pages are introduction of the main trends. Collingwood in each case analyses the general view within the period and provides examples in each case although his treatment of Aristotle is meagre when compared to Plato. the Renaissance view is not as developed as the other two and many philosophers of note are not discussed. In the 18th Century Locke is briefly mentioned as is Hume but Berkeley and Kant are given the floor. Of the 19th Century Hegel is the main one although other German idealists are barely mentioned eg Fichte, Schelling, Schopenhauer; in fact the other contributers to this trend such as Schiller and Goethe are not mentioned even when they often gave the original impetus to such an approach. In the modern period no philosophers other than Alexander and Whitehead are really discussed with the main drive being allocated to the physicists who developed quantum mechanics and relativity although Bergson is briefly discussed more as an aside and brief sojourn away from the modern trend a kind of throwback to an earlier time.

Collingwood criticises the main theories of each period and once again it is the ancient philsophers who he understands best and his description of their ideas is the fullest. His critiques appear just in this era but varies as he discusses the other periods. In some cases I feel his criticism is unjust especially when it does not seem that his statements apply. Overall the study is in depth and justified and much can be learned from this book instead of having to read each philosopher in turn. Nonetheless Collingwood is one man and the book represents an opinion with good justification throughout. A fuller study would have taken years to write and been produced in several volumes, instead Collingwood cuts it down as much as possible and looks at the bare bones. A worthy study, at times illuminating.

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book from a Great Philosopher, February 25, 2004

By	Matthew Bradley "Matt" (Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Idea of Nature (Hardcover)

I recommend this book to anyone who has ever tried to think about "nature". This book shows how the concept of nature has changed in Western Civilization, and how we can best think about this abstract concept today.