Beginning with the death of Socrates in 399 BC, and following the story through the centuries to recent figures such as Bertrand Russell and Wittgenstein, Bryan Magee, in discussion with major contemporary writers and philosophers, provides an accessible and exciting introduction to Western philosophy and its greatest thinkers.
Bryan Edgar Magee was a noted British broadcasting personality, politician, poet, and author, best known as a popularizer of philosophy.
He attended Keble College, Oxford where he studied History as an undergraduate and then Philosophy, Politics and Economics in one year. He also spent a year studying philosophy at Yale University on a post-graduate fellowship.
Magee's most important influence on society remains his efforts to make philosophy accessible to the layman. Transcripts of his television series "Men of Ideas" are available in published form in the book Talking Philosophy. This book provides a readable and wide-ranging introduction to modern Anglo-American philosophy.
The Great Philosophers: An Introduction to Western Philosophy, Bryan Magee
Beginning with the death of Socrates in 399 BC, and following the strand of philosophical inquiry through the centuries to recent figures such as Bertrand Russell and Wittgenstein, Bryan Magee's conversations with fifteen contemporary writers and philosophers provide an accessible and exciting account of Western philosophy and its greatest thinkers.
With contributions from A. J. Ayer, Bernard Williams, Martha Nussbaum, Peter Singer, and John Searle, the book is not only an introduction to the philosophers of the past, but gives an invaluable insight into the view and personalities of some of the most influential philosophers of the twentieth century.
This is the best introduction to Western Philosophy I鈥檝e ever read. It is based on the BBC tv series aired in 1987. But it was rewritten by the contributors specifically for the publication. Brian Magee was great populariser of the subject in Anglo-Saxon world. And he, together with his guests makes it not only very interesting and profound, but very approachable subject indeed. It would be an ideal starting point for those who has heard all the names but never tried to find out what is all about. I鈥檝e read quite a bit on philosophy before, but even though I enjoyed the lucidity of this book and the clarity of thought.
Magee said then: 鈥渋n English-speaking world philosophy is not part of the mental furniture of most people, even most of those educated at universities. ..Partly this is due to the fact that in the 20th century the subject has become professionalised and technical. Partly it is due to excessive specialisation in all subjects- British education in particular is open to the criticism that it does not carry general education to a high enough level. Partly is due to Anglo-Saxon pride at not being too concerned with abstract ideas. ... Most well Anglo-Saxons are familiar with the names of the great philosophers throughout their adult lives without ever knowing what their fame is rests on, what indeed any of the famous philosophers is famous for. 鈥�
I think it has changed a little bit in the last 40 years since the book came out. Mainly that some philosophical ideas percolated through literature. It is especially relevant when the science got more advanced - philosophy of mind (consciousness etc) and philosophy of language to some extent. But in general, his observations still hold. So anyone who is interested what it is all about might find this book very eliminating.
The book is constructed in the form of 15 dialogues between Brian and the other philosopher. They talk about the one of the greatest names from Plato to Wittgenstein. The guest is normally specialised on the subject. The discussion is lively.
This book helped me to understand many ideas I struggled though for a while. For example, Kant鈥檚 system is very vividly presented. The difference between Leibniz and Spinoza is clearly explained. And even Wittgenstein and Heidegger seem to be comprehensible.
Magee is very keen on Schopenhauer unlike his guest, it seemed. So that part was extremely sparkling.
It is amazing to read the book condensing so much wisdom of the West with lucidity but without simplifying too much. I wish someone does something similar now for the whole world.
A great "introduction" to Western philosophy, although the essential thousand year leap from Augustine to Descartes was a little discouraging. Much of the information presented in here was a great refresher of what I already knew, or clarified certain aspects of various systems that I didn't quite have a grasp on. What was also encouraging was that most of the philosophers covered in this book I had already read with the notably large exceptions of Heidegger and Wittgenstein. I know I need Being and Time and W's Tractatus and Investigations forthwith.
If you enjoy a survey of philosophy, this one is right up your alley. It's in the same vein as Will Durant's History of Philosophy but with a novel made-for-the-BBC presentation.
It covers many of the major philosophers and their philosophies from Plato and Aristotle through Dewey, Heidegger, and Wittgenstein. This is the similarity with Durant 鈥� focusing on what has become the Western Philosophy cannon. The departure comes in the presentation. Each chapter (episode) is presented by Magee speaking with a leading 20th Century philosopher about a historical giant of philosophy (or cluster of associated philosophers); this stems from the original format as a 1980s BBC series.
If you watch the footage rather than read the book or listen to the broadcast, it bears all the timestamp of 80鈥檚 Britain too 鈥� shag carpeting and the occasional brown, beige, orange, and yellow color palate. That of course is trivial and inessential but a fun romp back through space and time. Magee is more focused on the philosophical systems and their ideas than Durant was, but the limitations of a one-hour TV broadcast (about 45 minutes run time) limits each chapter (episode) from going as deep and wide as I would like.
Limitations aside, it is a nice survey of the major Western philosophers distilled through some of the leading academic Anglo philosophers of the 20th Century.
Well, I have to say that, having amply digested Bryan Magee's The Great Philosophers, it has immediately shot to the apex position amongst those tomes undertaking to etch the general history of Western Philosophy. Its format, wherein each primary thinker (and mirroring, to a considerable degree, the spread of names to be found in Russell's book) is expounded upon via an erudite dialogue between Magee and another renowned figure from academia with particular affinities for the philosophic personage under consideration, allows for maximal interpretation and elucidation within a minimal amount of space, thanks chiefly to the artful skill of the authorial director. I had previously heard that Magee's most laudable trait was his utter lucidity, and it's one that he brings, in full, to this work, such that even the most abstruse of systematizers鈥擧egel and Heidegger looming quite large here鈥攁re rendered comprehensible to a degree out of all proportion with the space devoted to dialoguing upon their potent-but-prickly thought.
This book is an intellectual goldmine (based on BBC Television series). A must read for philosophy lovers. It was fascinating to read 15 most profound living philosophers- who reacted against one another- to dissect the influence of the world's greatest philosophers from Socrates to Schopenhauer.
I feel, this book does demand a prerequisite: familiarity with philosophical thoughts (not academical but logical). The content is highly explosive, extremely sensitive and can become very complicated if one hasn't previously flirted with their writings.
I cannot claim to speak for everyone but I do feel, personally, philosophy is no longer regarded as a part of education even in sophisticated institutions; it results in deficiency in the content of our character. For instance- there is no fever for liberal art courses, the concept of creative and original thinking has been reduced to an exclusive property of science students. This philosophical bankruptcy is not healthy for any society; we need original and informed thinkers in journalism, politics and social activism- so when a crisis comes- society can place its trust upon them to lead us for a better tomorrow.
I think, we need to reconsider Socrates advice more seriously, "The unexamined life is not worth living."
唳曕唳� 唳︵Π唰嵿Χ唳� (Philosophy) 唳Α唳监Μ唰囙Θ? 唳嗋Π唰嬥 唳Ε唳距Π唰嵿Ε唳唳 唳Σ唳侧, 鈥溹唰囙Θ 唳︵Π唰嵿Χ唳� 唳氞Π唰嵿唳� 唳曕Π唳唳�?鈥� 唳忇 唳呧Ω唳距Ξ唳距Θ唰嵿Ο 唳唳班Χ唰嵿Θ唰囙Π 唳呧Ω唳距Η唳距Π唳� 唳夃Δ唰嵿Δ唳� 唳︵唳唰囙唰囙Θ 唳︵唳班唳多Θ唳苦 唳侧唳∴Ν唳苦 唳夃唳熰唰囙Θ唰嵿Ω唳熰唳囙Θ唳� 鈥淲hat is the aim of Philosophy? - To show the fly the way out of the bottle.鈥� 唳嗋Κ唳ㄠ 唳Ζ唳� 唳涏唳� 唳忇唳熰 唳侧唳囙Θ 唳ㄠ唳唰囙 唳椸Ν唰€唳班Ν唳距Μ唰� 唳氞唳ㄠ唳む 唳曕Π唰囙Θ, 唳む唳灌Σ唰� 唳唳澿Δ唰� 唳唳班Μ唰囙Θ 唳 唳︵Π唰嵿Χ唳� 唳嗋Ω唳侧唳� 唳曕 唳忇Μ唳� 唳曕唳� 唳忇唳� 唳溹Π唰佮Π唳苦イ 唳夃唳熰唰囙Θ唰嵿Ω唳熰唳囙Θ 鈥淭o show the fly the way out of the bottle鈥� 唳侧唳囙Θ唳熰 唳︵唳唰� 唳嗋Ω唳侧 唳曕 唳唳澿唳む 唳氞唳唰囙唰囙Θ? 唳忇 唳侧唳囙Θ 唳熰唳� 唳呧Π唰嵿Ε 唳嗋Ξ唳距Π 唳曕唳涏 唳忇Π唳曕Ξ唳� 鈥溹唳 唳忇 唳唳ム唳唳む 唳曕唳� 唳忇唳熰 唳膏Ξ唳唰� 唳溹Θ唰嵿Ξ唰囙唳苦イ 唳忇唳距Θ唰囙 唳曕唳� 唳忇 唳膏Ξ唳唰� 唳Π唰� 唳唳イ 唳溹唳Θ唰囙Π 唳︵唳熰 唳氞Π唳� 唳膏Δ唰嵿Ο啷� 唳忇 唳溹Θ唰嵿Ξ 唳灌Δ唰� 唳唳む唳 唳Π唰嵿Ο唳ㄠ唳� 唳嗋Ξ唳� 唳唳ム唳唳� 唳忇 唳椸Ν唰€唳� 唳唳膏唳むΜ唳む唳� 唳唳澿 唳嗋唳曕, 唳呧Θ唰囙唳熰 唳忇唳熰 唳唳涏唳� 唳唳むΣ唰� 唳嗋唳曕 唳ム唳曕唳� 唳Δ啷� 唳忇 唳唳膏唳むΜ唳む唳� 唳唳澿 唳嗋唳曕 唳ㄠ 唳ム唳曕 唳Π唳� 唳唳膏唳むΜ唳む唳曕 唳唳澿Δ唰� 唳灌Σ唰�, 唳嗋Ξ唳距唰� 唳忇 唳唳膏唳むΜ唳む唳� 唳唳むΣ 唳灌Δ唰� 唳唳曕唳む 唳唳む 唳灌Σ唰� (To Transcend Reality) 鈥� 唳忇唳唳む唳� 唳Ε 唳灌Σ唰� 鈥樴Ζ唳班唳多Θ鈥權イ 唳︵Π唰嵿Χ唳� 唳灌Σ 唳唳曕唳む唳� 唳Ε, 唳膏Δ唰嵿Ο唰囙Π 唳Ε, 唳膏唳唳о唳ㄠΔ唳距Π 唳Ε啷も€� 唳膏唳むΠ唳距, 唳嗋Κ唳ㄠ唳� 唳Ζ唳� 唳Θ唰� 唳灌Ο唳� 唳嗋Κ唳ㄠ 唳夃唳熰唰囙Θ唰嵿Ω唳熰唳囙Θ唳苦Ο唳监唳� 唳唳むΣ唰� 唳嗋唳曕 唳Α唳监 唳嗋唰囙Θ; 唳嗋Κ唳ㄠ唳� 唳Ζ唳� 唳Θ唰� 唳灌Ο唳� 鈥淭here is more to than Reality itself鈥�; 唳嗋Κ唳ㄠ唳� 唳Ζ唳� 唳Θ唰� 唳灌Ο唳� 唳︵唳ㄠ唳唳距Π 唳唳膏唳むΜ唳む 唳嗋Κ唳ㄠ唳曕 唳溹唳佮唰� 唳Ω唰囙唰�; 唳む唳灌Σ唰� 唳忇 唳Θ唰嵿Ζ唰€ 唳唳むΣ 唳灌Δ唰� 唳唳� 唳灌Δ唰� 唳ㄠ唳 唳Α唳监唳� 唳唳曕唳む唳� 唳Ε唰囙イ 唳嗋Π 唳︵Π唰嵿Χ唳� 唳灌唳� 唳嗋Κ唳ㄠ唳� 唳Ε唳唳班Ζ唳班唳多啷�
唳嗋Ξ唳� 唳曕唳� 唳︵Π唰嵿Χ唳� (Philosophy) 唳Α唳监? 唳忇Π 唳膏Μ唳氞唳唰� 唳膏唳� 唳夃Δ唰嵿Δ唳� 唳灌Σ唰�, 唳︵Π唰嵿Χ唳� 唳嗋Ξ唳距Π 唳溹唳Θ 唳唳佮唳苦Ο唳监唳涏 鈥� without philosophy I would have been dead by now啷� 唳曕唳唳 唳唳佮唳苦Ο唳监唳涏 唳膏 唳ㄠ唳唰� 唳灌Ο唳监Δ唰� 唳忇唳熰 唳 唳侧唳栢 唳膏Ξ唰嵿Ν唳�, 唳曕唳ㄠ唳む 唳嗋Ξ唳� 唳忇唳ㄠ 唳侧唳栢 唳灌Ο唳监 唳夃唳む 唳唳班唳ㄠ啷� 唳多唳о 唳忇唰佮唰佮 唳, 唳︵Π唰嵿Χ唳� 唳嗋Ξ唳距唰� 唳唳曕唳む唳� 唳Ε 唳︵唳栢唳唰囙唰� 鈥� It showed me the way out of the bottle啷�
These interviews of philosophers by Bryan Magee were originally a series of TV programs on British Television in 1987. The TV series was later developed into the book, but since I watched the TV programs as videos on YouTube, I am counting the book as 鈥渁udio.鈥� The series involved interviewing contemporary philosophers about 鈥淭he Greatest Philosophers鈥� of western history. Seeing the contemporary thinkers in person, so to speak, seemed much more valuable and rewarding than reading a transcript of their comments.
Most of the philosophers interviewed were people whose work I have read. I have heard A.J. Ayer in person. Sydney Morgenbesser, who discussed the American Pragmatists, was one of my professors. The first class I ever had in graduate school was listening to Professor Morgenbesser talk about Pragmatism, so I feel I have come full circle.
The discussions were wonderful. I had previously read Bryan Magee鈥檚 description of how he prepared for the televised series, so I had an inkling of his technique. Magee was fully equipped to give a full lecture on his own, but he deferred to the interviewee so as to get the fullest treatment. Magee did, however, give extensive lead-ins, and after the interviewee had responded, Magee would recapitulate by paraphrasing what the interviewee had said. This was occasionally annoying, but it did accomplish the purpose of very thoroughly expounding the philosophical position.
All of the presentations were good, but some were excellent. Myles Burnyeat presented Plato in a very accessible way, accounting for his long-lasting influence. Frederick Copleston, the author of perhaps the best known history of philosophy, presented Schopenhauer in a way which showed how he related to Kant before him, and to Nietzsche, Heidegger and Wittgenstein following after. Hubert Dreyfus was quite clear in discussing Husserl and Heidegger, who are often difficult to understand, and Dreyfus was able to report his own conversation with Heidegger about Sartre. To hear A.J. Ayer discuss Gottlob Frege and Bertrand Russell was practically like hearing Aristotle discuss Socrates and Plato.
The strength of the series was to give an overall vision of the flow of philosophical history, how each philosopher reacted to his predecessor and influenced his successors. Most of the material was familiar to me, but I was still surprised and impressed by connections and salient points made by the commentators. One always came away with a succinct impression of what each philosopher was about. In time I will watch the series all over again.
Good book. Think I need to do some more reading. Enjoyed the sections on Plato, Hegel, Existentialists, Nietschze and especially Hume. Writing it here so I have a reference point when I'm looking for more books.