Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Rīga : Zvaigzne ABC, [2010]
Description
A brilliant and concise account of the lives and ideas of the great philosophers--Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer, Nietzsche, Bergson, Croce, Russell, Santayana, James, and Dewey--The Story of Philosophy is one of the great books of our time. Few write for the non-specialist as well as Will Durant, and this book is a splendid example of his eminently readable scholarship. Durant's insight and wit never cease to dazzle; The Story of Philosophy is a key book for any reader who wishes to survey the history and development of philosophical ideas in the Western world.
Media reviews
To sum up, then, Dr. Durant's book deserves a wide reading, but it lacks the continuity, the historical scope that a history of philosophy must have. As an appetizer, The Story of Philosophy should be unstintingly recommended, but twenty-five hundred years of thought cannot be popularized in such
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small compass; and the danger is that the majority of readers will think that they have now traversed the vast field of speculative thought since antiquity. Show Less
Not being intended as a contribution to original scholarship, but rather as a work of art, the book deserves something better than a meticulous picking of flaws which are half the time mere differences of interpretation and emphasis. Dr. Durant reaches real eloquence in the chapters of Spinoza,
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Bacon, Voltaire, Spencer, and Nietzsche, men for whom he feels a real enthusiasm and of whom he writes with evident gusto. If we mistake not, many readers will admire the book for these chapters alone. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member Jonathan_M
A lengthy, well-written history of philosophy from its beginnings (in the Western world) in ancient Greece through the aftermath of the First World War. Durant's language will sound a little archaic, possibly even precious, to the modern reader, but the author can hardly be blamed for that.
So, is philosophy dead? Pretty much, but it's not a recent development. What Durant's essential optimism prevented him from conceding is what Schopenhauer already knew in the early nineteenth century: that there are no magical formulas, that the world is as bad as it can possibly be without ceasing altogether to function. Millions of people, witnessing and experiencing the overflowing misery of human existence, have drawn the same conclusion without the slightest knowledge of Schopenhauer.
Which, of course, is not to say that we should do nothing. I share Carl Jung's view of Schopenhauer: "Here at last was a philosopher who had the courage to see that all was not for the best in the fundaments of the universe...Schopenhauer's somber picture of the world had my undivided approval, but not his solution of the problem." In other words, once we have arrived at this grimmest of realizations, we must resist rather than become bitter cave-dwelling hermits. Because we can conceive of a better world, it is our duty to fight for it.
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Ultimately, the impression I took away from his valiant effort to document the progress of the field was one of disappointment: in 2016, humanity is more dismally bereft of answers than Durant could ever have imagined in 1926. Like him, I have to admire the sheer scope of Aristotle's philosophy (riddled with errors though it was) and the razor-sharp wit of Voltaire, but what revelations have been disclosed since Schopenhauer? Spencer was little more than a cranky anti-socialist, and Nietzsche an insufferable lunatic (whose "philosophy" was much closer to poetry, as even Durant admits)...and, since their time, the only appreciable stride made in the field has been Russell's rejection of metaphysics. So, is philosophy dead? Pretty much, but it's not a recent development. What Durant's essential optimism prevented him from conceding is what Schopenhauer already knew in the early nineteenth century: that there are no magical formulas, that the world is as bad as it can possibly be without ceasing altogether to function. Millions of people, witnessing and experiencing the overflowing misery of human existence, have drawn the same conclusion without the slightest knowledge of Schopenhauer.
Which, of course, is not to say that we should do nothing. I share Carl Jung's view of Schopenhauer: "Here at last was a philosopher who had the courage to see that all was not for the best in the fundaments of the universe...Schopenhauer's somber picture of the world had my undivided approval, but not his solution of the problem." In other words, once we have arrived at this grimmest of realizations, we must resist rather than become bitter cave-dwelling hermits. Because we can conceive of a better world, it is our duty to fight for it.
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LibraryThing member ebnelson
Sure this book has a bunch of good background and serves a as nice background to philosophy...but it's ideological bias is strong and unacknowledged.
The writer is an academic...and, of course, there is nothing wrong with this. But he seems wholly unaware of how his view totally shapes his reading
For example, Plato suggests a society run by the elite who have been schooled in the correct management of a state. This, of course, is a very logical proposition. Durant finds many things to criticize with Plato's proposed society, but seems blissfully ignorant of that the power in Plato's society would reside within university walls since the one who shapes the training of our leaders holds as much power as the leaders themselves...but in fairness, I wouldn't expect someone who comes from the institution to critize a system that would give more power to people like himself.
This may seem like a minor critic, and I guess it is, but Durant's book is full of such elitist and academic assumptions. So when combined with page after page of such assumptions and bias, it gets harder and harder to glean fact from his elitist opinions.
After reading this book I get the sense that this author hasn't been shaped by the day-to-day performance of real work in the real world, but rather lives in his ivory tower where eloquent speech and high ideals take precedence over "mundane" things like the raising of a family and the struggle of the working class.
Finally, Durant seems to revel in anti-Christian assumptions. He fails to give real criticism of some of the horrendous morals promoted by early philosophers (for example, a passing nod to the sanctity of life and the abhorrence of infanticide would have been nice). And his jumping from Aristotle to Francis Bacon seems to be his way of sticking his nose up to great Christian philosophers like Augustine, who, although a theologian, wrote great and influential treatises on subjects like time, truth, and free will. The Greek philosophers' writings were about God and the ultimate reality as well...so why are they included while great Christian thinkers are not? Readers beware.
The writer is an academic...and, of course, there is nothing wrong with this. But he seems wholly unaware of how his view totally shapes his reading
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and critic of the great minds.For example, Plato suggests a society run by the elite who have been schooled in the correct management of a state. This, of course, is a very logical proposition. Durant finds many things to criticize with Plato's proposed society, but seems blissfully ignorant of that the power in Plato's society would reside within university walls since the one who shapes the training of our leaders holds as much power as the leaders themselves...but in fairness, I wouldn't expect someone who comes from the institution to critize a system that would give more power to people like himself.
This may seem like a minor critic, and I guess it is, but Durant's book is full of such elitist and academic assumptions. So when combined with page after page of such assumptions and bias, it gets harder and harder to glean fact from his elitist opinions.
After reading this book I get the sense that this author hasn't been shaped by the day-to-day performance of real work in the real world, but rather lives in his ivory tower where eloquent speech and high ideals take precedence over "mundane" things like the raising of a family and the struggle of the working class.
Finally, Durant seems to revel in anti-Christian assumptions. He fails to give real criticism of some of the horrendous morals promoted by early philosophers (for example, a passing nod to the sanctity of life and the abhorrence of infanticide would have been nice). And his jumping from Aristotle to Francis Bacon seems to be his way of sticking his nose up to great Christian philosophers like Augustine, who, although a theologian, wrote great and influential treatises on subjects like time, truth, and free will. The Greek philosophers' writings were about God and the ultimate reality as well...so why are they included while great Christian thinkers are not? Readers beware.
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LibraryThing member iwpoe
Mr. Durant is a thoroughly inadequate philosopher and oft’ incompetent interpreter of philosophic text, but I must applaud him for his charming story telling and noble (though wiggish) attempt to bring philosophy down to the everyday man. Any pedant frustrated by inaccuracy should avoid this
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book. For those who just want a charming gloss on the history of philosophy it is far more accessible to newcomers than Bertrand Russell’s history. Show Less
LibraryThing member pjsullivan
This book follows the threads of speculative thought in the Western world through certain dominant personalities. It excludes epistemology, which it relegates to psychology, and understands philosophy to be a synthetic interpretation of all experience. Science gives us empirical knowledge. It is
Is it a difficult read? Yes, at times. This book is not for everyone. But Will Durant is a good guide. No one could make Spinoza or Kant easy, but he makes them accessible, if the reader will apply some effort. Have a notebook handy because you will encounter lots of keepers, bits of priceless wisdom you will want to save.
Durant draws critical conclusions about these various philosophers, their strengths and weaknesses, and shows how they relate to one another. A rewarding read, if chewed well and thoroughly digested.
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the role of philosophy to synthesize that knowledge into wisdom.Is it a difficult read? Yes, at times. This book is not for everyone. But Will Durant is a good guide. No one could make Spinoza or Kant easy, but he makes them accessible, if the reader will apply some effort. Have a notebook handy because you will encounter lots of keepers, bits of priceless wisdom you will want to save.
Durant draws critical conclusions about these various philosophers, their strengths and weaknesses, and shows how they relate to one another. A rewarding read, if chewed well and thoroughly digested.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Linus_Linus
This book is amazingly cheap priced for the wisdom is bestows. I remember- Me and C bought a copy each and started the reading sessions alternating with discussions during long walks, drives and evening teas during our internship days. I’m yet to find a better primer for philosophy than this book
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written by the delicately humorous Durant and whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone who wishes to acquaint themselves with the schools in philosophy.Personally I cherish my copy with all the wild and illegible scribbles and highlighting.It is a symbol of growth and a visage of what a concerted and collective human exploration means. Show Less
LibraryThing member aliceunderskies
I always feel that it's cheating to read a book about an author or thinker rather than going straight to the source. Cliffnotes are an abomination; I'm even suspicious of biographies and encyclopedia entries. This is why I had to buy a second bookshelf to house all those ridiculously large books by
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dead philosophers. Source-snobbery aside, I do think Will Durant is a genius at distilling impossible ideas to their essence and explaining them with a clarity that does not in any way diminish or dumb them down. Sure, his book is frustratingly broad, and since it was written in the 1920s it lacks a handful of vital philosophers like Wittgenstein and Heidegger, but it's the one I'd recommend in a heartbeat to anyone wanting to know more about philosophy but unsure where to begin, or to someone like myself who has read a fair bit of the originals but only half understands. Show Less
LibraryThing member br77rino
Excellent overview of the significant philosophers and their philosophies throughout history.
LibraryThing member deusvitae
A readable but dated analysis of the history of philosophy that focuses on a few of the people who are notable in that field-- Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Kant, Voltaire, Spencer, Nietzsche, and a handful of 19th and early 20th century European and American philosophers.
It is a good
It is a good
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introduction and presents a decent basic analysis, but is full of early twentieth century Western triumphalism and the idolization of post-Enlightenment rationalism. However, if you are looking to just get a basic feel for the types of things regarding which philosophers dispute, this is a good place to start. Show Less
LibraryThing member Awdhesh
An excellent book. A must read for everyone who is interested to know the evolution of thoughts over last two thousands years. Highly recommended.
LibraryThing member soylentgreen23
A mammoth book that covers much of the landscape of philosophy - in the Western world at least - from the Ancient Greeks up to the Americans Dewey and James. There's a huge amount here, but the book is well-written and never lags - while I can't say I learned a great deal from this brief survey of
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philosophic luminaries (the fault is mine, btw), I have become far more interested in the field, and feel ready to approach some of the original texts. Show Less
LibraryThing member iSatyajeet
This work is amazing, a gem. It was a long read for me, not because it was lengthy, but because I spent more time contemplating after every few pages, while I was reading the book.
The expressions and choice of words makes this really poetry. If the quality of communication is what makes something a
The lives and thinking of Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer and Nietzsche form the contents with two chapters devoted to European and American philosophers. Kant's supreme principal of morality suggests our happiness be put on the back burner and that we do our duty remains the most interesting to me. Kant argues that a person is good or bad depending on the motivation of their actions and not on the goodness of the consequences of those actions. It is fascinating stuff and more tangible than many other theories or examinations.
Durant writes with clarity and in rich detail so the contents of this book is to be savoured, discussed and debated.
This is very well articulated synthesis of the evolution of thought.
I would heartily recommend this book!
The expressions and choice of words makes this really poetry. If the quality of communication is what makes something a
Show More
work of art, then this book qualifies as enduring art. Furthermore, there is this pervading earnestness that only comes from one who is invested in what he writes about; it is no mere intellectual juggernaut tour de force. The lives and thinking of Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer and Nietzsche form the contents with two chapters devoted to European and American philosophers. Kant's supreme principal of morality suggests our happiness be put on the back burner and that we do our duty remains the most interesting to me. Kant argues that a person is good or bad depending on the motivation of their actions and not on the goodness of the consequences of those actions. It is fascinating stuff and more tangible than many other theories or examinations.
Durant writes with clarity and in rich detail so the contents of this book is to be savoured, discussed and debated.
This is very well articulated synthesis of the evolution of thought.
I would heartily recommend this book!
Show Less
LibraryThing member iSatyajeet
This work is amazing, a gem. It was a long read for me, not because it was lengthy, but because I spent more time contemplating after every few pages, while I was reading the book.
The expressions and choice of words makes this really poetry. If the quality of communication is what makes something a
The lives and thinking of Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer and Nietzsche form the contents with two chapters devoted to European and American philosophers. Kant's supreme principal of morality suggests our happiness be put on the back burner and that we do our duty remains the most interesting to me. Kant argues that a person is good or bad depending on the motivation of their actions and not on the goodness of the consequences of those actions. It is fascinating stuff and more tangible than many other theories or examinations.
Durant writes with clarity and in rich detail so the contents of this book is to be savoured, discussed and debated.
This is very well articulated synthesis of the evolution of thought.
I would heartily recommend this book!
The expressions and choice of words makes this really poetry. If the quality of communication is what makes something a
Show More
work of art, then this book qualifies as enduring art. Furthermore, there is this pervading earnestness that only comes from one who is invested in what he writes about; it is no mere intellectual juggernaut tour de force. The lives and thinking of Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer and Nietzsche form the contents with two chapters devoted to European and American philosophers. Kant's supreme principal of morality suggests our happiness be put on the back burner and that we do our duty remains the most interesting to me. Kant argues that a person is good or bad depending on the motivation of their actions and not on the goodness of the consequences of those actions. It is fascinating stuff and more tangible than many other theories or examinations.
Durant writes with clarity and in rich detail so the contents of this book is to be savoured, discussed and debated.
This is very well articulated synthesis of the evolution of thought.
I would heartily recommend this book!
Show Less
LibraryThing member GShuk
Perfect book if you are new to philosophy. It was for me. I really liked how he mixed the philosophers main ideas with the history of when they presented them. This made it more interesting and helped put into perspective how the times shaped their works. While I enjoyed this book I will need a
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break before I listen to the second volume. Show Less
LibraryThing member tlockney
Really had to work to finish this one. I guess having been a failed student of philosophy (that is, I gave it up rather early on), I can't criticize this with too much precision, but this piece of work really felt like it was misnamed. If anything, it should have been "here are some philosophers,
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some you should know about and others you can quickly forget." Not really, but.... The gaps felt like bigger pieces of the story than the story itself, in many cases. Of course, I know this was first published in 1926, so the perspective on the overall picture was a fair bit different. Nonetheless, I can't say that I'd recommend this to anyone. Show Less
LibraryThing member henrique.maia
Philosophy, a word that so often spring out in conversations. But what does it mean? Where does it come from? Who were the people who made it so important for us? What were their main ideas?
If you like this subject and you, like me, feel utterly lost amidst the vast world (or should I say worlds?)
One of its striking features is the way that Will Durant, the author of this story, guides you through the main characters that made philosophy what it is today, with a passion and insight that are only available to those that truly love this subject.
The book is slightest dated towards the more recent authors (namely the 1st half 20th century philosophers), but this is just a small detail that doesn't make the book less valuable – it's still a priceless resource to provide the reader with a good view of the history of philosophy as a whole.
If you like this subject and you, like me, feel utterly lost amidst the vast world (or should I say worlds?)
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of this field of knowledge, and you're serious into grasping its profound insights and scope, this is the book where you should start.One of its striking features is the way that Will Durant, the author of this story, guides you through the main characters that made philosophy what it is today, with a passion and insight that are only available to those that truly love this subject.
The book is slightest dated towards the more recent authors (namely the 1st half 20th century philosophers), but this is just a small detail that doesn't make the book less valuable – it's still a priceless resource to provide the reader with a good view of the history of philosophy as a whole.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Nandakishore_Varma
I would have given it a five, had it included eastern philosophies too.
LibraryThing member Sandydog1
Artie Schopenhauer once said, "Books are like a mirror. If an ass looks in, you can't expect an angel to look out."
With Durant's book, I'm having trouble figuring out if I'm an angel, or, well...something else.
I found its 1920s prose arcane, dated and well, sometimes boring. Essays on the "easier"
With Durant's book, I'm having trouble figuring out if I'm an angel, or, well...something else.
I found its 1920s prose arcane, dated and well, sometimes boring. Essays on the "easier"
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philosophers (Voltaire, Russell) were entertaining. The tough guys (eg. Spinoza) made my eyes glaze over. Show Less
LibraryThing member RonManners
Looks at philosophers from Plato to John Dewey.
LibraryThing member BrianDewey
This was my first general guide to philosophy. It packs a lot in. This is the book that let me understand Kant and helped me realize how much I like Spinoza.
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1926
Physical description
560 p.; 23 cm
Pages
560
ISBN
9789934009051