EUR

The volume 'The European Philosophers: from Descartes to Nietzsche', edited by Monroe C. Beardsley, together with its companion volume from the Modern Library, 'The English Philosophers: from Bacon to Mill', edited by Edwin A. Burtt, provides a good basic collection of the major philosophical writings of the post-Renaissance to the immediate pre-Modern period -- in essence, that period that many people think of as being 'our cultural history' in intellectual terms.

The text on the European Philosophers includes many of the major philosophers from the late sixteenth century to the nineteenth century. Each of the philosophers is introduced with a brief one-to-two page biography, but by and large the editor allows the philosophers' own writings to speak for themselves. Each biographical section ends with a supplemental/suggested reading section that is worthwhile if now a bit out of date. Where possible, Beardsley has opted to include whole texts, or at least major portions of them, and the selections are much more generous than the typical survey would be. The large sections of majors works are supplemented by briefer passages that help clarify key points along the way. The translations are standard and accessible.

This survey shows the breadth of thinking that concerned the European philosophers - metaphysics and epistemology are high on the list of important topics throughout the period, as is philosophical methodology (from Descartes beginnings to Liebniz to Nietzsche, many of the Europeans seemed to be concerned to 'reinvent' philosophy in major ways). Ethics and politics take more of a back seat in many respects, particularly when compared to the English philosophers over the same period, but there are major contributions to this field, particularly near the
end.

Beardsley's essay of introduction is an interesting discussion of the development of European philosophy, showing the individuality of each of the twelve major thinkers presented here, as well as the overall trends and underlying worldview they share. Beardsley traces three primary ways in which European philosophy of this period can be considered - an expressionistic approach, an historical approach, and a progressive approach. Beardsley's compilation of texts here requires no particular approach to the exclusion of others, but the reader will be well advised to
consider how each of the approaches applies to the overall pattern in the collection.

This is not a book about philosophy as much as it is a book of philosophy -- there are few guides or notes or explanatory pieces here, save the actual texts themselves from the major philosophers. Both volumes from the Modern Library are worthy of a place on the shelf of anyone with an interest in politics, philosophy, or the history of ideas.

This generous compilation of major works from the principle players in modern European (non-British) philosophy remains the one-volume sourcebook for every undergrad who has to write a paper and, more substantially, everyone who wants a real nose-to-the-grindstone encounter with the major philosophers. Spinoza, Kant, Rousseau, and Nietzsche are represented by substantial, and judicious, abridgments of major works (the "Ethics", "Critique of Pure Reason", "Social Contract", and "Beyond Good and Evil" respectively), while Descartes' entire "Meditations", the famous "Discourse on Metaphysics" and "Monadology" of Leibnitz, and the Introduction to "The Philosophy of History" of Hegel (which essentially comprises a book unto itself) are complete. Schopenhauer's "The World as Will and Idea" is also given about eighty pages, and the seldom-seen Fichte leaves a powerful mark with the Third Part of the "Vocation of Man". Fleeting but powerful selections from Pascal provide the dissent from the Age of Reason. Comte and Mach are, at least by my prejudices, footnotes today (their offerings, particularly the latter's, remain mostly unthumbed), but appendices of brief selections from Descartes, Spinoza, Leibnitz, Kant, Hegel, and Nietzsche offer further elucidations of some of their key concepts and arguments (this volume makes for a particularly good introduction to Descartes and Kant). The brief editorial prefaces are also noteworthy both for their keen appreciations of each philosopher's contributions (the tone is always sober but generous-- sober indeed largely because of the editors' awareness of just how much we owe to these thinkers) and for very full catalogs of available editions of the philosophers's works in English and of scholarly examinations of their lives and work. To put it banally, this is one-stop shopping for the Descartes-to-Nietzsche block of post-Renaissance thinking. And the spine on my copy has proved surprisingly enduring-- despite being blown off a truck, left in a hostile dormitory for over a month, and constant perusal, it has remained largely intact, though I'm about to lose a few pages of Spinoza. After ten years, this is saying a lot.

This is, of course, a compilation of European philosophers. The book is 870 pages long and contains parts or entire works from famous theologians such as Descartes, Pascal, Spinoza, Leibniz, Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Comte, Mach, and Nietzsche. Most of the primary works of these men (at least in part or in their entirety) are present in this work. Each philosopher covered is given a nice introduction describing his life, works, etc. The works are translated quite well. This book would be a great edition to add to anyone's philosophy collection, especially since it is a collection of primary works. Some of the works that are included are Descartes' "Discourse on Method," Pascal's "Thoughts," Spinoza's "Nature of Evil," Leibniz's "Relation Between Soul and Body," Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason," Hegel's "Intro to the Philosophy of History," Comte's "General View of Positivism," Nietzsche's "Beyond Good and Evil," and much, much more. If you are wanting a collection of philosophical writings then this is one of the better texts to add to your library.