The rise and fall of soul and self : an intellectual history of personal identity

This book is satisfying at a number of levels. Anyone who has felt alienated by pondering how humans fit into the world will find it therapeutic. Not only is one not alone in such a quest, but it has a long history that one can learn about in this book and relate to. One can also learn from the countless mistakes of sincere others. Getting one's presupposing correct is a hard problem. This book presents a wealth of ways thinkers have tried to presuppose correctly, but failed. When one knows what doesn't work, then one is informed about trying something better. The book is also aesthetically satisfying. The protracted effort among generations of humans desperate for a means of making sense is brought into a panoramic view. This is very helpful. It is a vantage point from which one can view the future. What I found most satisfying, however, was the means presented for recovering a sense of sanity in thinking by locating the level at which a unity of thinking can be recovered. One can abandon arcane theories and backtrack a bit to recover unity within a biological context. This is good. If one has descended into despair over disintegrated theoretical accounts of the self, then the opportunity to ascend to a unified self within an explicitly biological context is an elevation of one's status. This effectively realizes the purpose for which the soul and the self were developed originally. Sept. 11, 2010 update: After investigating the unity of organisms with some disappointing results, I have discovered The Brain and the Meaning of Life which seems to be the right way forward. See especially Section 1 of Chapter 3: The Brain Revolution. Inner Presence: Consciousness as a Biological Phenomenon was also very constructive. This book traces the development of theories of the self and personal identity from the ancient Greeks to the present day. From Plato and Aristotle to Freud and Foucault, Raymond Martin and John Barresi explore the works of a wide range of thinkers and reveal the larger intellectual trends, controversies, and ideas that have revolutionized the way we think about ourselves. The authors open with ancient Greece, where the ideas of Plato, Aristotle, and the materialistic atomists laid the groundwork for future theories. They then discuss the ideas of the church fathers and medieval and Renaissance philosophers, including St. Paul, Philo, Augustine, Aquinas, and Montaigne. In their coverage of the emergence of a new mechanistic conception of nature in the seventeenth century, Martin and Barresi note a shift away from religious and purely philosophical notions of self and personal identity to more scientific and social conceptions, a trend that has continued to the present day. They explore modern philosophy and psychology, including the origins of different traditions within each discipline, and explain both the theoretical relevance of feminism and gender and ethnic studies and also the ways that Derrida and other recent thinkers have challenged the very idea that a unified self or personal identity even exists. Martin and Barresi cover a number of issues broached by philosophers and psychologists, such as the existence of a fixed and unchanging self and whether the concept of the soul has a use outside of religious contexts. They address the question of whether notions of the soul and the self are still viable in today's world. Together, they reveal the fascinating ways in which great thinkers have grappled with these and other questions and the astounding impact their ideas have had on the development of self-understanding in the west.

raymond Martin And John Barresi Trace The Development Of Western Ideas About Personal Identity And Reveal The Larger Intellectual Trends, Controversies, And Ideas That Have Revolutionized The Way We Think About Ourselves. They Begin With Ancient Greece, Where The Ideas Of Plato, Aristotle, And The Materialistic Atomists Laid The Groundwork For Future Theories. They Then Discuss The Ideas Of The Church Fathers And Medieval And Renaissance Philosophers, Including St. Paul, Origen, Augustine, Aquinas, And Montaigne. In Their Coverage Of The Emergence Of A New Mechanistic Conception Of Nature In The Seventeenth Century, Martin And Barresi Note A Shift Away From Religious And Purely Philosophical Notions Of Self And Personal Identity To More Scientific And Social Conceptions, A Trend That Has Continued To The Present Day. They Explore Modern Philosophy And Psychology, Including The Origins Of Different Traditions Within Each Discipline, And Explain The Theoretical Relevance Of Both Feminism And Gender And Ethnic Studies And Also The Ways That Derrida And Other Recent Thinkers Have Challenged The Very Idea That A Unified Self Or Personal Identity Even Exists.

"This book traces the development of theories of the self and personal identity from the ancient Greeks to the present day. From Plato and Aristotle to Freud and Foucault, Raymond Martin and John Barresi explore the works of a wide range of thinkers and reveal the larger intellectual trends, controversies, and ideas that have revolutionized the way we think about ourselves."--Jacket Traces the development of Western ideas about personal identity and reveals the larger intellectual trends, controversies, and ideas that have revolutionized the way we think about ourselves. This title considers ancient Greece, where the ideas of Plato, Aristotle, and the materialistic atomists laid the groundwork for future theories. Introduction From myth to science Individualism and subjectivity People of the book Resurrected self The stream divides Aristotelian synthesis Care of the soul Mechanization of nature Naturalizing the soul Philosophy of spirit Science of human nature Before the fall Paradise lost Everything that happened and what it means. Introduction Greece Rome People of the book Patristic period Early middle ages High middle ages Humanitas Scientia Enlightenment Philosophy of spirit Science of human nature Before the fall Paradise lost Back to the future.