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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... sense of philosophy as a lived subject—as part of a flesh-and-blood human life. By placing philosophy in an autobiographical context I could convey the excitement and passion of the subject, as well as its trials. I myself have greatly ...
... sense of privilege in the locals , even a kind of snobbery , since people did actually choose to pay good money to visit the place . The main activities of young men in the town were drinking and fighting , and trying to take clumsy ...
... sense - and yet there seemed to me to be a logic to Descartes's doubts , whatever their bearing on religion might be ( in fact , Descartes's system relies centrally on God , but Mr. Marsh never mentioned this ) . As a result of these ...
... sense of the power of reason—of how logical thinking can produce big, shocking results. It is not that I still believe that the ontological argument is sound, though I don't think there is anything obviously wrong with it. But it is a ...
... sense-data, impressions, experiences, representations. Perception is not a faculty that unlocks the ways of the physical world outside of our minds; rather, it is confined to a purely inner array of mental items. The only reality we ...
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 |