The Making of a Philosopher: My Journey Through Twentieth-Century PhilosophyPart memoir, part study, The Making of a Philosopher is the self–portrait of a deeply intelligent mind as it develops over a life on both sides of the Atlantic. The Making of a Philosopher follows Colin McGinn from his early years in England reading Descartes and Anselm, to his years in the states, first in Los Angeles, then New York. McGinn presents a contemporary academic take on the great philosophical figures of the twentieth century, including Bertrand Russell, Jean–Paul Sartre, and Noam Chomsky, alongside stories of the teachers who informed his ideas and often became friends and mentors, especially the colorful A.J. Ayer at Oxford. McGinn's prose is always elegant and probing; students of contemporary philosophy and the general reader alike will absorb every page. |
From inside the book
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... argument , theory , truth . It is not a tradition that aims primarily for inspiration or consolation or ideology . Nor is it particularly concerned with " philosophy of life , " though parts of it are . This kind of philosophy is more ...
... arguments for the existence of God ( I forget now what book it was ) . I came across something called the " ontological argument , " invented by Saint Anselm of Canterbury in the Middle Ages . I found the argument hard to follow but ...
... argument in the terse classical form in which I first encountered it: God is defined as the being than whom none greater can be conceived; but existence is an attribute that contributes to greatness; therefore God exists. God thus ...
... argument is sound, though I don't think there is anything obviously wrong with it. But it is a fascinating argument, simple yet intricate, and I am not now at all surprised at the impact it had on my eighteen-year-old self. On that day ...
... argument, propounded with great force and clarity by Joad, following a long tradition. Consider illusions and hallucinations, such as seeing a straight stick look bent in water, or imagining pink rats while under the influence of LSD ...
Contents
Chapter Three Logic and Language | |
Chapter Four Mind and Reality | |
Chapter Five Belief Desire and Wittgenstein | |
Chapter Six Consciousness and Cognition | |
Chapter Seven Metaphilosophy and Fiction | |
Chapter Eight Evil Beauty and Logic | |
Acknowledgments | |
Other editions - View all
The Making of a Philosopher: My Journey Through Twentieth-Century Philosophy Colin McGinn Limited preview - 2003 |
The Making of a Philosopher: My Journey Through Twentieth-century Philosophy Colin McGinn No preview available - 2003 |
The Making of a Philosopher: My Journey Through Twentieth-Century Philosophy Colin McGinn No preview available - 2002 |