Russell, Idealism, and the Emergence of Analytic Philosophy (Clarendon Paperbacks) by Peter Hylton
Product Description
This book deals with a crucial period in the formation of twentieth-century analytic philosophy. It discusses the tradition of British Idealism, and the rejection of that tradition by Bertrand Russell and G. E. Moore at the beginning of this century. It goes on to examine the very influential work of Russell in the period up to the First World War, and addresses the question of what we can learn about the nature of analytic philosophy through a close examination of its origins.
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #1067490 in Books
Published on: 1993-02-11
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
440 pages
Editorial Reviews
Review
`this important and exciting work breaks completely new ground ... a masterly examination of Russell's work up to 1913 ... Hylton provides a superb account of how Russell's responses to the difficulties of Platonic Atomism have shaped so much of analytic philosophy ' Heythrop Journal
`It presents clearly and defends cogently a number of detailed, scholarly and sensitive readings of Russell's earlier philosophical works.' Times Literary Supplement
`the overall conception and achievement is extraordinary. Hylton's book provides an exemplary contribution of scholarship, lucidity, and imagination. He sets a new standard for all subsequent discussions of Russell's philosophy' Journal of Philosophy
`When such an author, who also writes as clearly and lays out his arguments as straightforwardly as Hylton does, ... it is something from which I can benefit.' History and Philosophy of Logic
'this important and exciting work breaks completely new ground ... a masterly examination of Russell's work up to 1913 ... Hylton provides a superb account of how Russell's responses to the difficulties of Platonic Atomism have shaped so much of analytic philosophy' James Bradley, The Memorial University of Newfoundland, The Heythrop Journal, April 1993, Volume 34, Number 2
`This is a wonderful example of an emerging genre ... Helpfully, Hylton's treatment is both sympathetic enough to help us see how Russell could have been attracted to idealism and critical enough to make the later reaction against if plausible ... Hylton ... wisely focuses on those aspects that are most helpful to the intended audience - philosophers ... In this Hylton is plainly doing philosophy, and the entrenched distinction between doing philosophy and reporting it as history breaks down. There are many ways to do philosophy and many ways to convey its history. Here is one way to do them both - and to do them both well.' The Philosophical Review
About the Author
Peter Hylton, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Customer Reviews
A Quality Piece of Scholarship
Peter Hylton's book is very impressive. It was awarded the Franklin J. Matchette Prize by the american Philosophical Association in 1993, and deservedly so. It is, as indicated in the title, an account of the origins of what is known as the analytic tradition in philosophy, with particular focus on the early work of Bertrand Russell. What is remarkable about this work is the dedication to historical analysis. The analytic tradition is notoriously dismissive of the value of historical analysis in regard to the possibility of philosophical understanding. What Hylton is engaged in here is a historical analysis of the analytic tradition itself, in order to try and better understand its origins and development. The main focus of Hylton's analysis concerns Russell's previous advocacy of idealism, inherited from Kant and Hegel by British philosophers such as Green, Bradley and McTaggart. Hylton makes extensive discussion of the general themes of British idealism and then characterises Russell's support but subsequent rejection of this trend. The subject matter could be difficult and obscure, but Hylton handles the ground comfortably, rarely forsaking depth, and acknowledging when he does. The only drawback might be that one will benefit much more from the book if one has at least a passing familiarity with the work of Kant and Hegel as background. Ultimately this is an valuable work for anyone with a strong interest in philosophy, whether it be the historian of philosophy investigating the development of the analytic tradition from the idealist one, or the analytic philosopher wishing to learn more about the origins of his field.