Body and Mind
I just finished Death of the Soul, by William Barrett, and found it to be quite refreshing. From reading this book and from what I've heard of his others, Barrett seems to sense that his task as a philosopher is to draw upon his knowledge to present an issue or concept in the context of its philosophic history, thereby making it accessible to the non-Ph.D. crowd. I think that this is an excellent idea and an important task, and when you can write with the lucidity and economy of Barrett, it also becomes quite valuable.
The focus of this book is to trace the differences in philosophers' conceptions of the soul from the 17th century on and identify the reasons for its fading presence. Along the way, he discusses the effects of advances in mathematics and science and manages to incorporate it all into an intriguing and well-formed narrative of ideas. Only a philosopher could weave these ideas and history together with such clarity and authority, yet it seems that most feel compelled to generate some original work instead, even when it borders on the ridiculous.
I think it is a testament to the quality of the book that it left me wanting to read more (especially Kierkegaard), but I have a whole stack of Russian literature that cannot wait any longer. I will begin tonight with Dead Souls, in which Gogol set out 'to solve the riddle of my existence,' or so the back cover says. Na zdorovie!