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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... asked whether we wanted to take a shot at going to university and I figured it might be worth a try. And anyway big changes were already under way in my mental development. My life started to shift to my head, at least in part. Up to ...
... asking this question quickly leads to the whole issue of what a justification is anyway , as well as to questions about knowledge , certainty , free will , and the origin of the universe . God may or may not be a philosopher , but he is ...
... asked to write a laudatory preface for a book of Joad's and testily replied “Modesty forbids.”) Joad's passion was perception, and he was a devotee of the “argument from illusion.” The question at issue is whether we really see physical ...
... asked us to consider an evil demon who produced sense-data in our minds but made sure that nothing ever corresponded to them, so that the entire course of our sensory experience is one long delusion. How can we rule out this possibility ...
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 |