Product Description

Raymond Martin and John Barresi chart the development of the concepts of soul and self in Western thought, from Plato to the present. Particular emphasis is placed on the intellectual transformation in the eighteenth century.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3738070 in Books
• Published on: 1999-11-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 216 pages

Review
'An excellent book, with an original and interesting approach to its topic.' - Stephen Gaukroger, University of Sydney

'I do not know of any other book which is comparable to this one ... an important new contribution to the literature on the history of theories of personal identity.' - E. J. Lowe, University of Durham

From the Back Cover
Naturalization of the Soul charts the development of the concepts of soul and self in Western thought, from Plato to the present. It fills an important gap in intellectual history by being the first book to emphasize the enormous intellectual transformation in the eighteenth century, when the religious 'soul' was replaced first by a philosophical 'self' and then by a scientific 'mind'. The authors show that many supposedly contemporary theories of the self were actually discussed in the eighteenth century, and recognize the status of William Hazlitt as one of the most important Personal Identity theorists of the British Enlightenment, for his direct relevance to contemporary thinking.

Now available in paperback, Naturaliazation of the Soul is essential reading for anyone interested in the issues at the core of the Western philosophical tradition.

About the Author
Raymond Martin is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Maryland, US. John Barresi is Professor of Psychology at Dalhousie University, Canada.