The Dream of Reason, New Edition
A History of Western Philosophy from the Greeks to the Renaissance
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The Dream of Reason, New Edition
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Narrated by:
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Anthony Gottlieb
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By:
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Anthony Gottlieb
About this listen
Already a classic, this landmark study of early Western thought now appears in a new edition with expanded coverage of the Middle Ages.
In The Dream of Reason, Anthony Gottlieb looks afresh at the writings of the great thinkers, questions much of conventional wisdom, and explains his findings with unbridled brilliance and clarity. From the pre-Socratic philosophers through the celebrated days of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, up to Renaissance visionaries like Erasmus and Bacon, philosophy emerges here as a phenomenon unconfined by any one discipline. Indeed, as Gottlieb explains, its most revolutionary breakthroughs in the natural and social sciences have repeatedly been co-opted by other branches of knowledge, leading to the illusion that philosophers never make any progress.
From the physics of angels to Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose, Gottlieb builds through example and anecdote a vivid portrait of the human drive for understanding. After finishing The Dream of Reason, listeners will be graced with a fresh appreciation of the philosophical quest, its entertaining and bizarre byways, and its influence on every aspect of life.
©2016 Anthony Gottlieb (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about The Dream of Reason, New Edition
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paul
- 13-07-23
Excellent and very enjoyable.
The content is great and the author’s narration is as good as any professional narrator I can remember.Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mjh
- 03-04-19
Best Introduction to the History of Philosophy
If you are interested in learning more about philosophy, I would definitely recommend these books . They really come alive being read by the author. Hopefully the 3rd of the series is on the way :-)
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Angus Jenkinson
- 12-01-25
Knowledgeable, but doesn't get the Greeks
Gottlieb is extremely erudite and explains clearly and straightforwardly. I have no doubt that if you study what he says and reproduce it it will be well received as authoritative in most circles and examinations. But it is not based on on a deep appreciation of the Greek language, spiritual culture, and consciousness. Why? First, it draws on the tradition of translation via the Latin. This gives an intellectual quality that does not belong to the more living and dynamic way of thinking that the Greeks had. Greek is not Latin. The quality of Greek has been described as always living,, with concepts dynamic. Latin is not like that. A very good example is the understanding of Aristotle's key concept entelecheia. It was coined by Aristotle merging three words and it has the meaning: being-at-work-staying-itself. Failure to understand this led to a false appreciation of Aristotle's notion of teleology. This is the first description of a self-organizing living organism. The vital concepts of water earth, water, air, fire I reduced in this description to relatively sterile concepts. Owen Barfiedld, Gaston Bachelard and Heidegger are amongst more recent European philosophers to appreciate this. His recent translator, Joe Sachs, is excellent.
The trouble with the approaches that it is always reading the past from the perspective of the present, appreciating what is in it that aligns with the present and noting how it leads to the present but never understanding it in its own context and its own character. For example, how can you possibly understand Greek philosophy without a thorough relationship with the mystery centres that were scattered throughout the Greek civilisation and were the centre of learning and initiation for the entire educated class of Greeks. Those mystery centres cultivated profound concepts and someone like her colitis from the Ephesian Mystery Centre was bringing ideas toned down from what he learned there. How can you appreciate Greek philosophy without looking at the drama given the relationship between conduct in the mystery centres and the practice of philosophy?
With this book, you will get an excellent introduction to the conventional tradition of reading Greek philosophy but it will not let you really appreciate how the Greeks thought.
I do however want to give credit to the following. Gottlieb does appreciate what a towering and extraordinary figure Aristotle was and the momentous achievement of the Greeks in the transition into the modern world. The more the history of philosophy begins with entering into the puzzles, challenges and thought life of the time and the individual — rather than comparing it to current concepts — the more we can learn from the past. Unfortunately what I would recommend is not on Audible
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