10 Best Metaphysics -

University Librarian at Brigham Young University. Academic librarian with over 25 years' experience in research libraries and demonstrated expertise in the areas of scholarly communication, collection development, acquisitions, and library administration.
Popular, engaging speaker/author/consultant on topics related to the future of libraries and scholarly communication; past president of NASIG and of the Society for Scholarly Publishing.
Author of three books, including _Scholarly Communication: What Everyone Needs to Know_ (Oxford University Press, 2018).
Metaphysics - Comparison Table

Top Customer Reviews
Top Customer Reviews: Many Lives, Many ...
Looking forward to reading other books for Dres. Weiss
Top Customer Reviews: Finite and Infinite ...
Partorisca Chance
at stake of players of finite games in some flanges, but partorisca touch an infinite game has to that touch with a boundaris.
Has listened of a book partorisca read the cast of Kevin Kelly of some 10 books that the majority has changed his thought and this was one of a book that had not read. I have loved this book so that it has bought 10 copies and gave them was to the people have thought for real would appreciate this simple perspective this in spite of deep.
My expectations have been shattered after the few pages, this in spite of, as it Carse the presents is not an exposure in models of theory of the game of human survival, but an analysis of almost each human activity in his frame of infinites and finite games. Of politics to sex the science the religion the art, Carse contests that (has comprised correctly) the particular chance of the each category can be considered the game finalised inside the each infinite category; in the each opposition, fight of humans to win a game finalised to achieve progress in a overarching infinite game. While victory in the game finalised, this in spite of, is achieved simply when some players adapt his (typically for some adapted-to plant of princes), an idea of the victory in an infinite game is problematic, of an infinite game (or enough the infinite game, life) is touched for a purpose to continue a game. Like this, Carse controls, to win an infinite game is to achieve immortality, to continue to perceiveand winningeven after corporeal dead. An interpretation of this criterion depends strongly in a player worldview, this in spite of, spending behind his report to religious extremism: while for the physicalist, this immortality is achieved by means of reputation of good works, the sufficiently extreme dualist actively will look for to advance in an infinite game to the true immortality in some religious afterlife, which so only can be achievable to bomb a clinic of abortion or an embassy.
While Infinite and Finite Games have not fulfilled mine (misguided) expectations, was still value the bed. Die Carse is extremely terse writing way (and overuse of antithesis like the stylistic device), has not gone always an easy plus to take by means of, but certainly present some new perspectives , useful in of the human interactions that expects to incorporate my own perspective. Three stars in general, verging on four with which consideration further while collecting my thoughts to this description.
For example, a book contains an interesting theory roughly sexuality, as when being neither the game finalised ( 54-59) or an infinite game ( 60-62). One contrasts among perceiving sexual reports like finite or the infinite is startling. In the wide plus (still surprisingly even more personal) level, in his chapter has titled "A Game Finalised Arrives Inside the World-wide" (ch. 4), Carse explores The fight of a character with defining, considering, and regulating a world around oneself in the way that comprises all the world-wide around one, or just oneself so only.
A prime minister not appreciating this book is comprising that any report or the process can be characterised in "finalised" or "infinite" terms. A second is not recognising that this characterisation is almost always the subject of election and that, to choose to characterise the report like "infinite," one can redefine he in the significant way and s. After reading this book, can never look in a world-wide around you, or in any report, or in calm in enough a same way. This pound reconfigures thinking in reality interpersonal like this deeply like Kuhn " Structure Revolutionise Scienziathe" reconfigured has thought a scientific method.
A main point of a book is that all suitable is unavoidable, necessary, and unalterable, is really the collective election partorisca the consider like this.
Cela Is not partorisca allege that conventionally the moral behaviour is 'bad'--only that can be used in two different ways. A way is partorisca circumscribe and the thought and the behaviour of people of control. Another is partorisca open on more possibility.
A fictional representation of some ideas in this book is Finny, a hero of 'A Separate Peace.' When Finny and his friends are touching a game of ball has improvised, Leper, something of the clave in a vase, will not accept a ball when it is spent his, included although it is esupposed to,' for any conventional thought in sport. In of the normal terms, this 'ought' to 'final a played--but Finny, instead, immediately improvises the variac. It has called one 'Lepellier negative,' agrees correctly, for this that finds the way to maintain Leper in a game.
Ossia The one who the Infinite games are roughly: finding ways to continue a game. Finite games, in another hand, investigation partorisca finalise them like this collected to the equal that was possible and declare winners and of the losers.
Carse Has written also 'A Gospel of a Beloved Disciple,' an imaginative and provocative rethinking of a history of gospel, and 'Desayunar in Victoria,' an excellent book of reflections in a mystical in normal experience. These books, and 'Infinite and Finite Games,' also could be read profitably together with Clark Edge is 'A Bowl Of forest,' those touches on some of some same ideas: these moments of grace and self the realisation is spontaneous, and then come from to invent several paraphernalia and device, canals and organisational structures of order, gurus and saint scriptures.
Top Customer Reviews: The Metaphysical ...
Burtt Investigation some origins of a world-wide view modern scientist, the view that today looks to be ancient but is, in fact, so only the few old centuries. Some concepts that use to describe a modern world-wide -- mass, speed, energy, time etc -- form a substratum of ideas like this modern that his a lot of the ubiquity he hard to imagine that another view is not existed never. With these ideas woven to all of the ours thought that one separates these ideas of all another for better appreciate and comprise them? Burtt Attacks this question to locate an evolution of modern scientific concepts of his origins in Copernicus and Kepler by means of the his development his big plus in Isaac Newton.
Can come like the surprise that Copernicus and Kepler have not been motivated by empirical evidence. In fact, an empirical evidence was stacked against his view that a sun, no an earth, was in a centre of a planetary system. Any one could see the one who solid an earth felt and that parco was. If it has moved then his motion could be felt. An idea that something like big and to to the solid likes him the earth could be flung by means of spatial was obviously ridiculous.
Neither has been has motivated of the desire for accuracy more orders of a Ptolemaic system that early would substitute was each one has bitten like attentive like his system of the sun centred with considerations to predict eclipses and place of some planets in a heaven.
His motivation was essentially the desire for the mathematically elegant way to express planetary motion, the majority of simple way that could reduce it a bit dozens of epicycles to the comparatively small number of circles. For these men, the mathematics has not been a key to character, the mathematics was character and some mathematical expressions simpler that has found was some reason the character was parsimonious and would not fulfil for half complicated (the epicycles) that could be it fulfilled more simply with the orbits circulate. A mathematical character would reduce some phenomena many like the mathematician would reduce complex equations to the number the small plus of simple equations.
The accident of Kepler to discover that some planets have not orbited in of the circles, but in ellipses was genuine. A smooth constant motion of some planets have been thought for Kepler to reflect a constancy of God he. So only when Kepler has discovered that the equal zones have been swept has gone by some planets in of the time the same was his faith restored in a mathematical universe that has been near has resisted of the amour of God.
In Galileo sees some starts of duality. In a book Galileo some empiricist laughs in his mates those who refuse to look by means of his telescope and see an evidence of the moons that Jupiter of orbit. In another hand sees a doctrine of primary and secondary qualities in that does not perceive some world-wide how is, but to the equal that affects our senses. These calls of doctrine to question a validity of some note that, probably, is a source for Galileo is (and ours) knowledge of a real world. With data to note neither limited or distorted and of here, of questionable reliabilities, the mathematical demonstration results a past of way some senses to a definite character of things. You avert further it mechanises some senses and consciousness of pushes further out of reality like this producing the duality soufflé full in the man results the alcohol trapped in the car.
When finally we arrive in Newton, for way of Gilbert and Boyle, has the new universe where a number of causes are reduced of an Aristotelian four, to only two. A formal cause is resulted mathematical that the dread has to that obey in exacting details. Some effective and substantial causes melt to force maquinales that obliges the subject passive to follow precise trajectories. Ido entirely is a final cause like the results @subjects an only occupant of the universe whose future is determined entirely for his past. A biological concept to aim the action focused does not have any place in a universe of ball of the billiard of unconscious motion. An irony is that one of the intellectual tarpaulins more are of the man, a formulation of some laws of motion, results the half to degrade the intellectual state of the man to reduce the alcohol to import of the man in motion.
An on is the gross oversimplification of Burtt work and can not begin to transmit a richness of his investigation and a clarity of his presentation. Burtt Uses long date to aim a reasoning used for some utmost mathematicians and physicists in a dawn of an Illustration and clearly shows a turn in thinking that arrives on two centuries.
An only drawback to Burtt the work is that it has been written almost done seventy years and some effects of these ideas on estaca-the Newtonian thought is not covered. An author, in a revised 1932 edition, the remorse has expressed that it could not incorporate these developments this late plus to the his review of an original 1924 work. I also, feels remorse that Burtt has not taken around to another review where could spill some light in some effects of these ideas in relativities and maquinal quantum.
Very interested in a development of a modern philosophy of science will enjoy this travesía intellectual by means of some alcohols of some of the most final thinkers of the humanity, these men those who has mark a remarkable world that live in today.
According to this worldview, an underlying essence of a universe is mathematical, and in a chance of Pythagoras, an alcohol-the independent world was comprised literally for physical atoms , geometrical or structures. This has not been the worldview that was supported by done and empirical testing at the same time, but has been presented in the priori (before experience) earths and reasoning.
Burtt Begins with Copernicus and his heliocentric view of a solar system, which has declared that a Sun was a centre of a solar system, no an earth. Against our intuitions or education on like the cause of hypothesis, Copernicus has not been swung for any empirical data to suggest this new worldview (that it was it conceptually very new, but postulate for Greek philosopher Aristarchus of Samos in 4th century B.C.), quite it was infatuated with a king-birth of a Pythagorean metaphysic via Neoplatonism.
At the same time of Copernicus (1473 – 1543), has had no empirical subjects with Ptolemy Christian inspired and anthropocentric geocentric theory, and in fact Copernicus' the heliocentric theory was on against several questions, like an inability at the same time to remark and validate
parallax (moving he of an observable place of some stars has based in a supposition that an earth moves his place to the equal that mixes around a Sun). And of course, Copernicus was on against some religious powers at the same time, which has used Biblical text to sustain a geocentric view of a universe.
Besides, so much the systems of Copernicus and Ptolemy were able to predict some celestial phenomena was, like this of the practical standpoint, Copernicus has not offered any goodnesses with his theory. A primary difference was that Copernicus' the heliocentric theory exhibited or involved more harmony, simplicity, and beauty with his application less epicycles (the rodeos circulate small that the planets have had to take like this his rotated around a Sun or Tierra, the account for his real elliptical pathways, which was ignored until Kepler). Accepting a heliocentric theory based in a preconceived ideas of harmony, simplicity, and the beauty has not been based in empirical testing, but has been derived of a Pythagorean metaphysic, and in fact a lot a Greek worldview that a universe was ordered fundamentally, harmonious, and beautiful in his core. This aesthetic and metaphysic has been accepted to reason so only, the priori, any on something remotely near of a scientific method. Dipped another way, this metaphysic has described some thinkers of way have loved an essence of a universe to be, no a way has been validated to be saws observation.
In short, Copernicus has embraced essentially a Pythagorean mathematical interpretation of a universe and is the result has convinced that a whole universe is done on numbers. And of the mathematicians have been at the same time attracted to an idea of simplicity, beauty, and harmony, this has resupplied one he priori base to accept his heliocentric theory.
Burtt Movements on to do the chance looked in light of some theories and work of Kepler, Galileo, Averts, Gilbert, Newton, and another. All these utmost thinkers were inspired and influenced by some same Pythagorean metaphysic of numbers and a the priori, untestable supposition that an underlying (any observable) the essence of a universe likes mathematical.
Kepler worshiped A Sun metaphorically as 'God'; presented the mysterious, aesthetic, and untestable view of causation; and it has affirmed that a real world is existed independent of an alcohol and was totally mathematician in character.
Following a goodness of Copernicus and his attention to celestial phenomena, Galileo has applied a Pythagorean metaphysic to a world of terrestrial dynamics; declared that read of character according to immutable mathematical laws (the tongue of a universe); affirmed that the subject is comprised of infinitely small indivisible atoms, which so only possesses held mathematical (number, figure, magnitude, place, motion, etc); and it has presented an idea of 'occult' indestructible the force concealed there is governed a movement of @@subject behind some scenes (of @@subject for him floating around in the absolute space can not govern his own orderly behaviour without a help of an external agent).
Evita has seen a universe like the geometrical car; denied an existence of the void or vacuum in spatial (likes quota during this time to treat a question of 'Action in the Distance); and it has built the radical alcohol-duality of organism that plague Western world-wide thinkers for a rest of history, as well as it presents the number of challenges and philosophical absurdities (to the equal that avert' ludicrous contrives that a pineal the gland in a brain was a point of connection or “dysfunctional conjunction” among a brain of material/organism and a soul).
Henry More envisioned to the forces like pirit of Of Character', where gravity, cohesion, magnetism, etc is not maquinal (like a geometrical motion of organism), but “spiritual” or orientative of the divine presence.
Gilbert, a father of a studio of magnetism, posited that the magnetism was a esoul' of a universe, and that this soul, this in spite of spiritual, is extended in spatial (any intangible) and explains action in the distance. The for real turned newton in the new leaf and has suggested that we can never
know some essences or of the causes of these 'occult' forces in character, but can so only mathematically reduce and formulate his observable effects (like his reverse square law of gravity). Still in an end he ironically embraces, as many of his predecessors, a “God of some Empty” and affirms that a material world is fundamentally mathematical (turn of a Pythagorean metaphysic) and is composed of hard, indestructible particles that has been created for God's sake and there is so only mathematical attributes; it concealed a human soul is closed up inside an organism with absolutely any contact with a real, external physical world (duality to Avert); and it concealed based in a metaphysic of primary-secondary qualities, secondary qualities (colour, flavour, etc) is all phantasms has created of an alcohol, any property of a physical universe, external.
Newton And those first of lucido finally has sold was the metaphysical, as his “fudge factor” and way to give sustain a stranger. Or, like an alternative and perhaps explanation more probably, we speculate that maintaining the small and virtually harmless the component of theological mysticism was his way to remain out of question with a Church, ballast his be burned likes to bet like Bruno was in 1600 for his heretical ideas?
Can summarize a discharge of metaphysical foundations of modern science to the equal that follows:
• A Pythagorean-Lunar-Platonist dressed that an underlying character of a universe is mathematical, has assumed the priori and based in some aesthetic principles of harmony, simplicity, and beauty (Copernicus and to the)
• Deification of a Sun and supposition that the harmonious mathematical structures cause observable phenomenon (Kepler)
• Atomism: the physical universe is comprised of indestructible particles that there is so only held mathematical (Galileo and to the)
• A priori supposition that all empirical phenomenon can be reduced the mathematical reports (all)
• the universe has seen schemes “like this geometrical” (avert)
• Concept of primary/secondary qualities: the only mathematical qualities of physical objects are real; secondary qualities (smell, flavour, colour, etc) is figments of an alcohol (all)
• Radical alcohol-duality of organism: souls/of alcohols entirely detached and separate of a real world, physical (averts and to the)
• A priori the knowledge of a universe is mathematical and of divine origin
• Introduction of ether and occult or spiritual/divine forces to avert a question of “action in the distance” (alcohol of character, magnetic soul, Goddess that incorporeal or along plenum,
etc)
Burtt Overthrows Some of some still have resisted conceptions today that a religious paradigm was a overrdiding impediment to an acceptance of a Copernican frames among a scientific community. Burtt Show like a scientific community of a time there has been any need to revise a epicycles and deferrents of a ptolemaic diagram. It was so only by means of one querella of simplicity more utmost and an appeal to some lunar-ideal of platonic mathematicians that resulted it more has accepted amply.
A must read for any student of the science interested in a complex interaction of ideas that finally headed to a rationale partorisca and acceptance of maquinal Newtonian and a resultant metaphysical frame.
So much, if really it loves, without prejudices, the really comprise, or still 'expensive' this question, ossia The BOOK to read .
Top Customer Reviews: Attitudes of ...
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Top Customer Reviews: Cosmic Queries: ...
An indication is for a book, no a terrible packing
A pertinent demographic is tweeners and young adolescents. There is not any equation to muddle the young reader and some rests of text enmedio schooler level.
Am not sure is reason a book has been modified and published for National Geographic but some separates read like a piece of National Geographic magazine for girls. It Characteristic charisma of Tyson so only faintly comes by means of.
Been due to of the this, is unlikely to spark the scientific interest in of the boys those who are not interested already in astronomy. But those kids those who can not take enough of the cosmos or Tyson is other books for the youth will enjoy to explore these subjects further of depths.
A science is solid, a prose is writing so that the twelve old year can comprise and some questions are some of some the majority of interesting things that the humankind can ponder. For those with scientifically has has bent boys the Cosmic surgeries is an excellent election . If it has had more than Tyson and less than National Geographic would have it the readers he big plus. How it is, it is the good but a lot particularly differential book.
[Modification] has received an email of Amazon tonight inviting me to download the correct version of this book. They are happy to say is now correctly formatted. Has bred my indication to and can believe big now that I am in fact able to read a book. The guess would have to that thank Amazon to fix is, but I no. Reason has to that I thank you to do that it would be necessary has done you in a first place? In all the chance, looks to be fixed for Kindle readers.
A first method Tyson uses to communicate the information is by means of a text. A fact that the interest has learnt is that there is 100 billions of galaxies in a universe and that 10 stars are created every year . Another fact that the interest has learnt to read a test is that some planets are classified in three different ways. An Earth, a Course of planet and Venerate is rocky planets. Saturn is the gas planet . Neptuno And Uranus is icy the alone planets have known some planets could be grouped like such. I have learnt that subject @of darkness in a field of astrophysicists like subject dark and dark energy that need to be explored. The subject dark is the gravitational force that sucks @@subject in a universe in. A last piece of information has learnt of a text is a water is not liquid so only that it can have it the habit to relieve life in other planets A detection of the ammonia and that the liquid methane is two other signs that the life is possible in other planets.
Neil Degrasse Tyson use photographer to communicate information in this book. It likes- one the photograph of a European spatial probe has called Gaia. The function of this probe is to photograph everything of some stars in a heaven. There is the good-looking photograph of a surface of Antartide. This picture is the reference that the meteorites have landed in a continent and suggests that Antartide is a point of start of origin of an earth. There is the good-looking photograph of a heaven in Acadia National park in Maine. I like this picture because a natural beauty of Maine is in shows here. There is the picture of some Wars of Star of the film that illustrates a concept of exo sociology. Exo The sociology is a practice of the human beings that interacts with aliens other worlds. I have known he the field to study called exosociology. Have had amused that learns that the scene of the ski fi the film is a real studio . I have learnt so much in a universe to read Cosmic Surgeries.
Is basically formatted like perfect book for me, has long-chapters of form for the traditional is read' down, but is peppered also throughout with fascinating blurbs and rodeos and factoids and stunning pictures to gawk in, he doing a perfect book in any crimps up with or choose up and skim by means of in yours elegant. It is a main dish and a dessert everything in a perfect bite. I know I will be up with him all prejudices it tonight.
Are an enthusiast of avid science but lack of any education advanced or formal, and some books in a subject are the less accessible plot for me, requiring me still to retard down enough the bit while reading, but this book rids all some sakes to all the speed. I can recognise the voice of Tyson in some words, and can enjoy his skill of mark for informant of concepts and incredible knowledge in the fun and memorable way.
Are the scientifically taken plus, consecrated, and the person driven been due to this man. Thank you, Dres. Tyson And a crew of Habladuría of whole Star and Nat Geo to do this book!
Top Customer Reviews: The Method: 5 ...
Kyle Hoobin. Calm aim you regarding the take Like this like this happy has discovered
A must for definite reality to look for you.
He, A Method is an interesting name , and supposes it so only could call A Method, but again, a thing is, when you are ready, all this is quite tangential to the that this book rid. Some people those who will take one the majority of out these some people in one the majority of acute ache. There is to plot of prework this goes to be ready thus book. A main leader of A Method is to take calm out of your boss so it can leave go of your alcohol and then calm. If you having not thought enough roughly stuffs to conclude ossia in fact a question, is too punctual. If you are ready, this concise, a lot-written (to good sure is resulting the better and better writer) the book will give the structure and the possibility to that is looking for, and the start has gone by simply saying you to take looking. Looking for is atrocious. To the left it goes. He the tomb. And therein relief of lies. His readers achieve concealed that it is neither the fate neither the aim like the result to read a book? So only I can speak for me, and to the equal that have begun for the bed, has begun to cry, as they are now, reasons has resupplied already significant guidance in my appearances to fall that need to go in order for me to return my leading innocence, and an energetic connection is there.
Hoobin HAS it refreshing take on this investigation, for example, said, “Perhaps one the majority of odd part of him all is that you know in your heart of hearts that has to done an end your investigation. Calm can does not explain but calm know it. This knowing challenge all logical experience and displaced this in spite of like this can not be shaken.” This suggests that a researcher is really not going to take until an investigation is complete. For this one is present suffering is has done already the little more understandable and tolerable.
An author then comes from to outline the method of 5 a lot for which one can begin to ask some the penetrating questions of one is experience, eats: As it can it was that it is real?, As it Can it was that it is true?, Etc., So that one can begin to see that a lot a “knowledge” one has obtained on some years in fact can be when being in a way to see that it is real and that it is true. Ossia Peeling he out of discharges of faiths roughly those who are, where am going and that I would owe that be do.
Ossia A class of the book with that would require to spend some time, and be has had to that do a bit repeating and revising. An author has it deceptively simple way, but is everything roughly helping a reader to undermine the little more deeply that it could it to it have necessary appearance in a first east reading .
A last part of a book is consecrated to the questions and the responses have related to the each one like this of some five no, and is the rich source of material related to some a lot of corners that some can not be approached, and there is some potent pocolos self-the bombs that expects there, as “That gives birth your selection and the ache is that calm still thinks that to leave a moment is possible and that doing so many calm offers some order of profit.” Ponder That a for the moment! And then try, “awake on there is at all to do with doing some right elections; roughly it is awake up out of a hell of election.”
Ossia To a way likes to be taught: simply, to a point, and then some sweet guidance to the long of a way. Down waiting for to do with him.
A book is divided to two part of entity. A first part has described a turn of consciousness in five diverse phases. Of the second looks of part of questions and responses regarding these phases. A book is written in very directed and simple prose, averting metaphysical launched entirely, which is the welcome relief .
A basic message is that a process of 'wake' or 'illustration' can be completed so only when a subject has given up trying lograrprpers. It would not describe some five phases like the soyethod' except the natural process of final of mental growth in dead (leaving sees of an individual ego). A dilemma is that that comprises a truth intellectually is not sufficient to complete a process, and in fact will prevent to spend.
In many respects 'A Method' is resembled other books in this subject, especially these writings for Eckhart Tolle. If you have read these books, probably am not a lot a lot of the new information is one ; this in spite of, a Q&A section is worth it to read. Kyle Hoobin also looks in of the short video that it is available in an Internet. His eseries of Habladuría of the Cuba' is quite entertaining.
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Thinks that all the world would owe that have free or economic access to these books and is finally be fact! Thanks to that has done a toil to do this available!
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Has read many of Bernardo Kastrups, reservation now. If you are not familiarised with him, dispute convincingly a chance partorisca philosophical idealism, and develops here that Jung was also, essentially, an idealist. Whilst Not finding is a 'easy' read, was able of the take better that his leading book in Schopenhauer. They are happy to have Bernardo 'discovered' Kastrup. It finds his books enlightening, a lot of grounded and always value an endeavour..
Top Customer Reviews: Introducing ...
「読む人間はおるまい」と言いながら『数学原論』を半ば自費出版したラッセルである。ちなみに後年、彼の弟子であるウィトゲンシュタインが「誰も読まないだろう」と師匠と同様の言葉を吐いて『論理哲学論考』を出版する。顛末としては、『数学原論』は確かに有名な割に誰も読まない書物になり(「2+2=4」を証明する為に、数巻にわたって滔々と論理学記号が並んでいく本や)、『論考』は誰も彼も読む一冊になった。何だか可笑しい。ただ『数学原論』を読み込んだ顔ぶれが凄かった。この本がルードヴィッヒ・ウィトゲンシュタインというエンジニア青年を論理学者・哲学者に変身させ、クルト・ゲーデルに不完全定理を生み出させた。ゲーデルの不完全定理がなかったら、十九世紀初頭から二十世紀初頭の潮流のままに、数学がメカ二スティックな操作手順の世界になっていたかもしれないのだ。ゲーデルは「人間しか為し得ない数学」の世界を守ったのである。『数学原論』は、九年間、毎日十時間以上、身魂を投げ打ち、上梓後のラッセルをして「そこからもう回復することはなかった」と言わしめた一冊だが、ラッセルが世に解き放った情熱と気根は知の歴史を大きく動かしたのであった。
という訳で、本書はまさに入門書の入門書。「入門書」と自称しつつそれなりにディープに行く本もあるが、本書は入門書の中でも軽目の類で、ストレスなくスイスイ読めてしまう。ラッセルの活動範囲はハードコア論理学から一般向け著作活動から政治活動まで、多岐にわたる。ちなみに、生涯七十冊も本を書いた哲学者ったら割と前代未聞ではなかろうか。『西欧哲学史』という一般向けベストセラーを書き、ついでに『結婚論』なんぞも書いている(ウィトゲンシュタインが唖然とするハズである)。所謂「メディアと相性の良い進歩的文化人」の雛形になった人でもある。人付き合いが良く面倒見が良いお方で、交流も幅広い。ネタは尽きないんであるが、やはり、生育史から始まり、数学基礎論を巡るハイドラマが生み出される前半の迫力が読みどころ。まず、天啓を受けて歓喜と熱気の包まれる初期の研究段階がある。数学の論理学化に取り組み出し、進展があったところで、既にフレーゲが同様の研究成果を出版準備中だと知る。そこで自分が突き当たった問題点をフレーゲに知らせる(「ラッセルのパラドックス」)。フレーゲは衝撃のあまり雷に打たれたようになる。それでもラッセルは『数学原論』の執筆を進めるが、初期の喜びは消え、苦悶に変っていく。やがて二十歳を出たばかりのゲーデル青年が登場し、二十年の研究に引導が渡される。ここらへんの大まかな流れを知るには便利な一冊で、それ以降のラッセルの縦横無尽人生も垣間見ることが出来る。

University Librarian at Brigham Young University. Academic librarian with over 25 years' experience in research libraries and demonstrated expertise in the areas of scholarly communication, collection development, acquisitions, and library administration.
Popular, engaging speaker/author/consultant on topics related to the future of libraries and scholarly communication; past president of NASIG and of the Society for Scholarly Publishing.
Author of three books, including _Scholarly Communication: What Everyone Needs to Know_ (Oxford University Press, 2018).