Tag: History of Philosophy

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‘Hume in 90 Minutes’ by Paul Strathern, Ivan R. Dee

‘Hume in 90 Minutes’ by Paul Strathern is a simple and brief introduction to David Hume and his empiricism philosophy. Former part of ‘Hume’s Life and Works’ comments Hume’s background and his solipsistic and skeptic view to the world and beings in ‘A Treatise of Human Nature’, and hid illness and private life. Later part of it describes from his public career, ethics and affairs of England, to the ambassador in France, his relationships with and influences to Rousseau and Adam Smith, and his end of life.
In ‘Hume, His True Successors, and Modern Science’, Strathern comments Hume’s epistemological thought impacted on the hypothesis based approach by Ernst Mach and the empirical proposition by logical positivism.
Strathern comments empiricist epistemology of Hume concisely as follows.
‘In Hume’s view, experience consists of perceptions, of which there are two types. “Those perceptions which enter with most force and violence we may name impressions; and, under this name, I comprehend all our sensations, passions and emotions, as they make their first appearance in the soul. By ideas I mean the faint images of these in thinking and reasoning.”’
‘He explains: “Every simple idea has a simple impression, which resembles it.” But we can also form complex ideas. These are derived from impressions, by way of simple ideas, but need not necessarily conform to an impression.’

This book is useful and interesting. Because Strathern comments splendidly Hume’s epistemology, ethics and political theory influenced to and were influenced by scientific, religious and political situations in his era. And his empiricist view to the world connected to today’s our view to the world.

Hume in 90 Minutes (Philosophers in 90 Minutes Series)
Paul Strathern
Ivan R. Dee, Chicago, 15 August 2007
96 pages $9.95
ISBN: 978-1566632409
Contents:
Introduction
Hume’s Life and Works
Afterword
Hume, His True Successors, and Modern Science
From Hume’s Writing
Chronology of Significant Philosophical Dates
Chronology of Hume’s Life
Recommended Reading
Index

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‘Berkeley in 90 Minutes’ by Paul Strathern, Ivan R. Dee

‘Berkeley in 90 Minutes’ by Paul Strathern is a simple and brief introduction to George Berkeley and his characteristic empiricism philosophy. Strathern write description about Berkeley’s two master pieces of philosophy and epistemology ‘An Essay Towards a New Theory of Vision’ and ‘A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge’ in the former half of this book. And I think Strathern successes explain Berkeley’s peculiar empiricist epistemology concisely. The later half of this book describes Berkeley’s academic and religious career, controversies about sciences, and his later life.
Strathern comments empiricist epistemology of Berkeley like below.
Berkeley ‘pointed out that we may derive our knowledge from our experience, but this consists only of sensations. We have no access to any underlying material substance which might give rise to these sensations. Despite its apparent absurdity, this argument is profound. It led Berkeley to his famous conclusion: else est percipi (to be is to be perceived). This triumphantly overcome materialism, but it left Berkeley with the problem of what happened to the world when no one was looking. As we have seen, Berkeley suggested that God is always looking. He derived this view from Malebranche, who held that change is not caused by objects interacting in cause and effect, but by the continuous action of God upon the world.’

Philosophical descriptions in this book is not many. But I recommend this book to absolute beginners in Berkeley and British empiricism. This book is a just introduction to peculiar philosophy of George Berkeley.

Berkeley in 90 Minutes (Philosophers in 90 Minutes Series)
Paul Strathern
Ivan R. Dee, Chicago, 10 April 2000
87 pages $7.95
ISBN: 978-1-56663-291-1
Contents:
Introduction
Berkeley’s Life and Works
From Berkeley’s Writing
Chronology of Significant Philosophical Dates
Chronology of Berkeley’s Life
Chronology of Berkeley’s Era
Recommended Reading
Index

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‘Locke in 90 Minutes’ by Paul Strathern, Ivan R. Dee

‘Locke in 90 Minutes’ by Paul Strathern is a simple and brief introduction to John Locke and his empiricism philosophy. The main content ‘Locke’s Life & Works’ describes history of United Kingdom in Locke’s era and Locke’s biography along with his philosophy and thought. It includes Locke’s background and adolescence, political and scientific affairs in the UK and Europe, influences to Locke by Descartes, Gassendi, Galileo, Newton, Spinoza and Leibniz, Locke’s empiricism philosophy, political philosophy and end of life.
The following is Strathern’s comment of empiricist first principle by Locke. ‘“There is nothing in the mind except what was first in the senses.” We begin with a tabula rasa (blank sheet). Human knowledge is derived from outer experience, and reflection (Locke’s word for introspection), which enables us to discover what goes on in our minds. We use reason to draw conclusions from these experiences. In this way we arrive at generalizations, laws, and the truths of methematics.’
His comment of Locke’s political philosophy is below. ‘In the original state of nature, he argues, people were free and equal. But such freedom and equality were largely theoretical. People were simply unable to get along together without infringing on one another’s rights. Locke believed that the law of nature grants us each natural rights. We have a right to life and a right to liberty, as long as this doesn’t infringe on the liberty and natural rights of others.’
The significant point and Strathern’s emphasis in this book are Locke’s empiricist philosophy influenced both ordinary empirical thinking and idea of liberalism and natural right. Empiricism and liberal thinking are linked in Locke’s understanding. Locke’s empiricism principle was free from old customs and religious mystery, and brought about his liberal political philosophy. And philosophy of John Locke is one of the origin of modernity.

This book devote many pages to historical and political description to explain background of Locke’s empiricism, and philosophical description is few. But I recommend this book to absolute beginners in Locke and British empiricism.
This book is mere simple introduction of Locke’s philosophy because his philosophy is simple, brief and essential.

Locke in 90 Minutes (Philosophers in 90 Minutes Series)
Paul Strathern
Ivan R. Dee, Chicago, 16 November 1999
91 pages $7.95
ISBN: 978-1-56663-262-5
Contents:
Introduction
Locke’s Life and Works
Afterword
From Locke’s Writing
Chronology of Significant Philosophical Dates
Chronology of Locke’s Life
Recommended Reading
Index