A New History of Western Philosophy: In Four Parts

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This book is no less than a guide to the whole of Western philosophy--the ideas that have undergirded our civilization for two-and-a-half thousand years.

Other reviewers thought this brilliant, so it probably is, but after reading the Coppleston series years ago and Betrand Russell's histories, I got lazy. It is as though the 20 th century produced a number of prominent philosophical personalities who, oddly enough, had nothing whatsoever to contribute to central philosophical topics. A general reader well-versed in philosophy or a senior philosophy student already specialized in one branch of the philosophy will find the work welcoming for presenting philosophy in a panoramic picture. Historical, cultural, social, scientific and a host of other factors are absent from the discussions. It's too dense for me to read in one go, so I thought I will use it as a reference for particular philosophers I am engaging with at the time.Far better to read a Stanford Encyclopaedia article on the philosophers individually, in conjunction with overviews of periods that interest you. The book consists of four separate parts which were originally released separately during the period 2004–07. In the case of Derrida, it seems clear that Kenny does indeed consider him to be an important figure with nothing important to contribute to the history of philosophy. These more biographical chapters are followed by nine topical chapters, where many of the views and developments adumbrated in the bio-centric chapters are explored and explained at greater length.

The author not only has a remarkable grasp of the broad sweep of philosophical ideas, but is also an authority in his own right.Continental and Anglophone philosophers went their separate ways, hardly speaking the same language as each other" (p. In defense of Kenny on this score, one could note that much of what I'm appealing to here flouts his self-imposed cut off of 1975.