The Sense of the Past : Essays in the History of Philosophy

Before his death in 2003, Bernard Williams planned to publish a collection of historical essays, focusing primarily on the ancient world. This posthumous volume brings together a much wider selection, written over some forty years. His legacy lives on in this masterful work, the first collection ever published of Williams's essays on the history of philosophy. The subjects range from the sixth century B.C. to the twentieth A.D., from Homer to Wittgenstein by way of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, Sidgwick, Collingwood, and Nietzsche. Often one would be hard put to say which part is history, which philosophy. Both are involved throughout, because this is the history of philosophy written philosophically. Historical exposition goes hand in hand with philosophical scrutiny. Insights into the past counteract blind acceptance of present assumptions. In his touching and illuminating introduction, Myles Burnyeat writes of these essays: "They show a depth of commitment to the history of philosophy seldom to be found nowadays in a thinker so prominent on the contemporary philosophical scene." The result celebrates the interest and importance to philosophy today of its near and distant past. __The Sense of the Past__ is one of three collections of essays by Bernard Williams published by Princeton University Press since his death. __In the Beginning Was the Deed: Realism and Moralism in Political Argument__, selected, edited, and with an introduction by Geoffrey Hawthorn, and __Philosophy as a Humanistic Discipline__, selected, edited, and with an introduction by A. W. Moore, make up the trio. Contents Preface Introduction Greek: General ONE. The Legacy of Greek Philosophy TWO. The Women of Trachis: Fictions, Pessimism, Ethics THREE. Understanding Homer: Literature, History and Ideal Anthropology Socrates and Plato FOUR. Pagan Justice and Christian Love FIVE. Introduction to Plato’s Theaetetus SIX. Plato against the Immoralist SEVEN. The Analogy of City and Soul in Plato’s Republic EIGHT. Plato’s Construction of Intrinsic Goodness NINE. Cratylus’ Theory of Names and Its Refutation TEN. Plato: The Invention of Philosophy Aristotle ELEVEN. Acting as the Virtuous Person Acts TWELVE. Aristotle on the Good: A Formal Sketch THIRTEEN. Justice as a Virtue FOURTEEN. Hylomorphism Descartes FIFTEEN.Descartes’ Use of Scepticism SIXTEEN. Introductory Essay on Descartes’ Meditations SEVENTEEN. Descartes and the Historiography of Philosophy Hume EIGHTEEN. Hume on Religion Sidgwick NINETEEN. The Point of View of the Universe: Sidgwick and the Ambitions of Ethics Nietzsche TWENTY. Nietzsche’s Minimalist Moral Psychology TWENTY-ONE. Introduction to The Gay Science TWENTY-TWO. “There are many kinds of eyes” TWENTY-THREE. Unbearable Suffering R. G. Collingwood TWENTY-FOUR. An Essay on Collingwood Wittgenstein TWENTY-FIVE. Wittgenstein and Idealism Bernard Williams: Complete Philosophical Publications This collection of historical essays range from the 6th century BC to the 20th century AD, from Homer to Collingwood by way of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, Descartes, Hume and Nietzsche. This is the history of philosophy written philosophically. Insights into the past counteract blind acceptance of present assumptions