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The Essential Mary Midgley
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Product Description
This unrivalled introduction to a revered philosopher and writer incorporates excerpts from her bestselling books, including her most recent work, The Myths We Live By. Topics discussed include the roots of human nature and reason and imagination.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #189896 in Books
- Published on: 2005-05-26
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Paperback
- 424 pages
Editorial Reviews
Review
'She has, perhaps, the sharpest perception of any living thinker of the dangerous extremism that lurks behind so much contemporary scientistic discourse.' - Bryan Appleyard, The Sunday Times
'One of the sharpest critical pens in the West.' - Times Literary Supplement
'She has, perhaps, the sharpest perception of any living thinker of the dangerous extremism that lurks behind so much contemporary scientistic discourse.' - Bryan Appleyard, The Sunday Times
'One of the sharpest critical pens in the West.' - Times Literary Supplement
From the Back Cover
Feared and admired in equal measure, Mary Midgley has carefully yet profoundly challenged many of the scientific and moral orthodoxies of the twentieth century. The Essential Mary Midgley collects for the first time the very best of this famous philosopher's work, described by the Financial Times as 'common sense philosophy of the highest order'.
This anthology includes carefully chosen selections from her best-selling books, including Wickedness, Beast and Man, Science and Poetry, and The Myths We Live By. It provides a superb and eminently accessible insight into questions she has returned to again and again in her renowned sharp prose, from the roots of human nature, reason and imagination, to the myths of science and the importance of holism in thinking about science and the environment.
The Essential Mary Midgley offers an unrivalled introduction to a great philosopher and a brilliant writer, and also includes a specially written foreword by James Lovelock.
About the Author
Mary Midgely is a moral philosopher and the author of many books, most recently The Myths We Live By.
Customer Reviews
The best book of 2005
OK. I have to declare an interest. Mary taught ethics at Newcastle when I was a student there. But then quite a few people review books written by people they know, so perhaps I can be permitted a certain enthusiasm.
Mary Midgley is probably the most sane philosopher writing today. Between the passion of Peter Singer and the academic prop-forwardry of Colin McGinn, Mary writes that while she and her sons became vegetarians, her husband, Geoff, remained steadfastly carnivorous, and that she remains of the view that preventing animals suffering is more important than not eating them. A wonderfully Aristotelian view on a modern issue.
The book is also very amusing with a beautiful mix of historical stories, bits of academic nonsense and hard core philosophy, as well as fascinating insights onto her comrades, Philippa Foot, Mary Warnock,Iris Murdoch and the mysterious semi-mystic near genius, Elizabeth Anscombe. In amongst the strange people, Mary is an island of compassionate sanity, always calling on her real experience - of babies, boys and animals (which she doesn't think are significantly different) - and finding peculiar the longings of those who imbue experience they haven't had with deep significance. Her comments on Iris Murdoch's longing for an incestuous relationship with her brother carry the quizzical eyebrow raised insight of anyone who has a sibling of a different sex, those of us with sisters (or brothers) find this kind of thing simply incomprehensible!
Mary has written a wonderful book here. Her writings are always lucid and peppered with sharp and challenging metaphors and examples, but here she has excelled herself.
I do not think I have ever read an autobiography which had a range of targets as complex and diverse as this, nor haved I read one which so seemingly effortlessly - and satifyingly - hits them. It is a book which covers personal and family history, serious and profound ethical questions, challenges all and any dogma, deals with the perils facing British academia (if it is still there in any recognisable form) and yet propels one along as easily as a boat on a stream.
This is a magnificent book, I have read nothing better thios yea. I am sure it will sell few copies. However, my daughter will be receiving one of these and I hope that she is able to see in Mary someone who so far exceeds and embodies the hopes of liberal feminism that she can find an example.
A very fine book.
