"Witcraft" is a new and brilliant history of how philosophy established itself in the English language. It presents a new form of philosophical narrative and challenges what Jonathan Rée calls the "self-trapped arrogance" of traditional stories of philosophy. Rée narrates the history of philosophy as it was lived and practiced, embedded in the time and place of men and women from various fields who were engaged in the discussions and culture of their era.
Focusing on the rich history of works in the English language, including translations, it shows that they are as colorful, diverse, inventive, and cosmopolitan as their European counterparts. "Witcraft" offers new and compelling intellectual portraits of famous British and American philosophers such as Hume, Emerson, Mill, and James, as well as the remarkable philosophical work of writers like William Hazlitt and George Eliot.
Adopting an innovative structure, it examines the subject in fifty-year intervals from the 16th to the 20th century. Studied for decades and illuminated by excerpts from extensive archival material, it is a book filled with stories and personalities, as well as ideas, and shows philosophy arising from the life around it. "Witcraft" overturns the established orthodoxies of the history of philosophy and celebrates the diversity, vitality, and inventiveness of philosophical thought.
- Pages: 768
- Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm
