A Hundred Years of English Philosophy (Philosophical Studies Series, 94)

This book is a historical investigation of the leading philosophical movement in England in the twentieth century. In seven chapters, the intellectual development of the most prominent representatives of analytic philosophy-Moore, Russell and Wittgenstein in Cambridge, and Ryle, Austin, Strawson and Dummett in Oxford-is traced. The book does not aim, however, at delivering a story. This means, above all, that generalisations and conclusions are reduced to a minimum-an approach adopted in an endeavour to avert the danger of subjectivism that interpreting the philosophers under scrutiny would impose. My hope is that by following this aproach, my inves­ tigation will stimulate readers to make their own generalisations and conclusions on the basis of the objectively presented data. Instead, my aim is to articulate a flawless, comprehensive description of the phil­ osophical texts of the seven most significant analytic philosophers in England in the twentieth century. For this purpose, all their articles and books have been sifted through in order to pick out the most representative parts. For obvious reasons, only the chapters on Russell and Wittgenstein, and-to a lesser extent-the chapter on Moore, are more theoretical.

This investigation is a historical review of twentieth-century analytical philosophy in England. In seven chapters, the intellectual development of its most prominent representatives - Moore, Russell, Wittgenstein, Ryle, Austin, Strawson, Dummett - is traced. The book offers synopses of the main philosophical texts of these seven philosophers. It will serve as a reference book covering all the central problems discussed by these seven authors.

The chief reason for adopting this approach was the wish to first of all cover as many of the problems discussed by them as possible, and secondly to view these problems in juxtaposition. The study was thus conceived as a comprehensive and most objective review of the history of analytical philosophy as practised in England. The hope is that it will serve as a reference book covering all the central problems discussed by these seven authors."--Jacket "This investigation is a historical review of twentieth-century analytical philosophy in England. In seven chapters, the intellectual development of its most prominent representatives - Moore, Russell, Wittgenstein, Ryle, Austin, Strawson, Dummett - is traced. The book does not, however, aim to tell a story. Instead, it offers synopses of the main philosophical texts of these seven philosophers Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction....Pages 1-11 The Project for a New Philosophy....Pages 13-46 The New Method as a Logic....Pages 47-82 Logical Meditations....Pages 83-118 The Analytical Method Explained....Pages 119-150 Philosophy as a Strict Science....Pages 151-181 The Justification Turn....Pages 182-213 Revision of the Project....Pages 214-244 Back Matter....Pages 245-306