Views from Crestmont Drive

Here’s a *very* short introduction to philosophy, published way back in 1987 but which I tracked down and bought because it was recommended by Edward Craig, author of that other short introduction to philosophy that I reviewed here. As Craig advises, this book by Nagel describes nine of the classic problems of philosophy without any historical perspective or mention of particular philosophers. And as Nagel says in his first line, “This book is a brief introduction to philosophy for people who don’t know the first thing about the subject.” Indeed. Well, I’ve gathered one or things so far about philosophy, so Nagel’s presentation did strike me as very basic. At the same time, Nagel occasionally allows himself to offer his own opinion about one or another still-contentious issue, and it’s interesting to see where he lands. (Particularly in matters touched on by Steven Pinker in the book I just finished.)

My take away from the book in general: science has, in fact, and just in the past few decades, resolved some of these matters, through investigation of the real world — and accomplished more than two thousand years of airy philosophizing.

And a follow-up thought, on 12 March: I wonder to what extent philosophy courses, or current book overviews on philosophy, remind the reader about the modern scientific discoveries that have superseded philosophical speculation, ancient and relatively modern. I’m guessing they don’t. They likely feel students or readers know enough about modern cosmology to understand that earth/air/fire/water speculation is curious but wrong. (Not about what’s real but about how early thinkers developed their ideas.) And what about mind/body dualism? No scientists has believed in “souls” for over a century. Does philosophy account for this? I’m guessing not. In this book, Nagel considers both sides of that issue, without mentioning science, and hedges. Other examples follow.

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