Mary Midgley Boeken

Science, according to the received wisdom of the day, can in the end answer any question we choose to put to it - even the most fundamental questions about ourselves, our behaviour and our cultures. Many go as far as to claim that science is all we need to explain the world. But for Mary Midgley, science, while undeniably a key element in this quest, can never be the whole story as it cannot truly explain what it means to be human. She asserts her corrective view that without poetry (or literature, or music, or history, even theology) we cannot hope to understand our humanity. Reading this remarkable book, which draws equally on both the great artists and poets for its inspiration, the reader is struck by both the simplicity and power of her argument and the sheer pleasure to be gained from reading one of our most accessible philosophers.

In this major work, Mary Midgley, one of our foremost intellectuals tells us that humans are rather more like animals than we have previously allowed ourselves to believe.

Midgley offers us an optimistic and holistic view of what it means to be human, acknowledging the complex interconnections of emotion and intellect, while presenting us with the freedom to be ourselves. schovat popis

Front cover Hursthouse asked him 'Is everything in the bible true?', perhaps Mary Midgley was destined to become a philosopher. Yet few would have thought this inquisitive, untidy, nature-loving child would become 'one of the sharpest critical pens in the west.' Vienna on the eve of its invasion by Nazi Germany in 1938 and dance in Trafalgar Square on VE day seven year later, she studied philosophy at Oxford in the same year as Iris Murdoch, Elizabeth Anscombe and Philippa Foot, all of whom became close friends. Midgley tells us in vivid and humorous fashion how they cut a swathe through the arid landscape of 1950s British philosophy, writing and arguing - often with each other - about the grand themes of character, beauty and the meaning of rudeness while the spectral figure of Ludwig Wittgenstein hovered in the background. joining the Reading philosophy department on GBP400 a year in 1949, she doubled its staff complement. But her many years at Newcastle University - where Mike Brearley, who later captained England at cricket, also used to teach - were rewarded with the closure of the philosophy department in the 1980s. 1950s and 1960s was fighting to combine a professional career with raising a family. In startling contrast to many of the academic stars of her generation, we learn that Midgley nearly became a novelist and started writing philosophy only when in her fifties, suggesting that Minerva's owl really does fly at dusk.

To look into the darkness of the human soul is a frightening venture, yet here Mary Midgley does so with her customary brilliance and clarity - to read Wickedness is to understand her reputation as one of the great moral philosophers. schovat popis

Challenging the reduction of human motivation to mere self-interest, this book delves into the complexity of our moral constitution. It critiques simplistic views like the 'selfish gene' concept from neo-Darwinian thought, arguing that while these perspectives can provide insights, they ultimately fail to capture the full spectrum of human motives. The exploration invites readers to reconsider the intricacies of human nature beyond one-dimensional interpretations.

In Evolution as a Religion, Mary Midgley examines how science comes to be used as a substitute for religion and points out how badly that role distorts it. She exposes the illogical logic of poor doctrines that shelter themselves behind the prestige of science.

The Myths We Live By is a powerful, clearly written book that shows us what goes wrong when we try to apply the metaphors of science to the problems of our lives. Essential reading for anyone concerned about how to understand the world today. schovat popis

Mary Midgley argues for the relevance of philosophy in tackling pressing societal issues, such as animal rights, the value of education, feminism, and the implications of intelligent computers. By addressing these significant questions, she reveals how philosophical inquiry can clarify our understanding of contemporary dilemmas. Midgley aims to uncover the distortions affecting our judgment, encouraging readers to engage thoughtfully with the complexities of modern life and the ethical considerations that arise from them.

In her final work, Mary Midgley explores the relevance of philosophy amidst modern intellectual anxieties. She defends philosophy's role in addressing life's fundamental questions, situating her arguments within contemporary debates on science and religion. This engaging text invites readers to reconsider the value of philosophical inquiry.