The Philosopher

A History in Six Types

Justin Smith-Ruiu (Autor)

Buch | Softcover

288 Seiten

2017
Princeton University Press (Verlag)
978-0-691-17846-2 (ISBN)

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What would the global history of philosophy look like if it were told not as a story of ideas but as a series of job descriptions--ones that might have been used to fill the position of philosopher at different times and places over the past 2,500 years? The Philosopher does just that, providing a new way of looking at the history of philosophy by bringing to life six kinds of figures who have occupied the role of philosopher in a wide range of societies around the world over the millennia--the Natural Philosopher, the Sage, the Gadfly, the Ascetic, the Mandarin, and the Courtier. The result is at once an unconventional introduction to the global history of philosophy and an original exploration of what philosophy has been--and perhaps could be again. By uncovering forgotten or neglected philosophical job descriptions, the book reveals that philosophy is a universal activity, much broader--and more gender inclusive--than we normally think today. In doing so, The Philosopher challenges us to reconsider our idea of what philosophers can do and what counts as philosophy.

Justin E. H. Smith is university professor of the history and philosophy of science at the Universite Paris Diderot--Paris VII. He is the author of Nature, Human Nature, and Human Difference: Race in Early Modern Philosophy and Divine Machines: Leibniz and the Sciences of Life (both Princeton). He writes frequently for the New York Times, Harper's Magazine, Cabinet Magazine, and other publications.

Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 1 Singular Things and Timeless Truths Featuring the Curiosa 21 2 Philosophy and Philosophia Featuring the Sage 54 3 Inside and Out Featuring the Gadfly 120 4 Body and Soul Featuring the Ascetic 159 5 Mountains and Valleys Featuring the Mandarin 190 6 Money and Love Featuring the Courtier 223 Conclusion 237 Notes 241 Bibliography 253 Index 263

Erscheinungsdatum	18.12.2017
Zusatzinfo	7 b/w illus.
Verlagsort	New Jersey
Sprache	englisch
Maße	140 x 216 mm
Gewicht	340 g
Themenwelt	Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Geschichte der Philosophie
ISBN-10	0-691-17846-1 / 0691178461
ISBN-13	978-0-691-17846-2 / 9780691178462
Zustand	Neuware