Story Of Philosophy By Will Durant -

Unlike the deep dives of previous chapters, the final two chapters offer shorter, more concise portraits of three European thinkers—Henri Bergson, Benedetto Croce, and Bertrand Russell—and three American ones—George Santayana, William James, and John Dewey, Durant's own teacher.

Nearly a century after its publication, Durant’s masterpiece remains the gold standard for introductory philosophy. It is a book that does not merely inform; it seduces the reader into falling in love with the life of the mind.

First published in 1926, The Story of Philosophy Will Durant story of philosophy by will durant

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"We do not present this as a history of philosophy... We have tried only to make the story interesting, to let the philosophers speak for themselves, and to show the connection between their ideas and the life and character of their times." Unlike the deep dives of previous chapters, the

When it was finally published as The Story of Philosophy in 1926, both Durant and his publisher had modest expectations; Durant guessed it might sell 1,100 copies. Instead, it became an instant, massive bestseller, selling over 100,000 copies in its first year and being reprinted 22 times. In the words of John Dewey, his former teacher, Durant had not just popularized philosophy, but "humanized" it.

While the public bought the book by the millions, the academic establishment was deeply divided. First published in 1926, The Story of Philosophy

Durant treats the medieval period briefly, moving quickly to the Renaissance. He champions Francis Bacon as the herald of the scientific method ("Knowledge is Power"). However, his deepest affection in this era is clearly . Durant’s chapter on Spinoza is perhaps the finest in the book. He interprets Spinoza not as a pantheist, but as a mystic of the intellect. Durant presents Spinoza’s "intellectual love of God" as the ultimate solution to the anxiety of existence—a synthesis of science and spirituality.