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Discovering The Philosopher In You: The Big Questions In Philosophy
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About the author
Colin McGinn
41 books75 followersColin McGinn is a British philosopher currently working at the University of Miami. McGinn has also held major teaching positions at Oxford University and Rutgers University. He is best known for his work in the philosophy of mind, though he has written on topics across the breadth of modern philosophy. Chief among his works intended for a general audience is the intellectual memoir The Making of a Philosopher: My Journey Through Twentieth-Century Philosophy (2002).
Colin McGinn was born in Blackpool, England in 1950. He enrolled in Manchester University to study psychology. However, by the time he received his degree in psychology from Manchester in 1971 (by writing a thesis focusing on the ideas of Noam Chomsky), he wanted to study philosophy as a postgraduate. By 1972, McGinn was admitted into Oxford University's B.Litt postgraduate programme, in hopes of eventually gaining entrance into Oxford's postgraduate B.Phil. programme.
McGinn quickly made the transition from psychology to philosophy during his first term at Oxford. After working zealously to make the transition, he was soon admitted into the B.Phil programme under the recommendation of his advisor, Michael R. Ayers. Shortly after entering the philosophy programme, he won the John Locke Prize in 1972. By 1974, McGinn received the B.Phil degree from Oxford, writing a thesis under the supervision of P.F. Strawson, which focused on the semantics of Donald Davidson.
In 1974, McGinn took his first philosophy position at University College London. In January 1980, he spent two semesters at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a visiting professor. Then, shortly after declining a job at University of Southern California, he succeeded Gareth Evans as Wilde Reader at Oxford University. In 1988, shortly after a visiting term at City University of New York (CUNY), McGinn received a job offer from Rutgers University. He accepted the offer from Rutgers, joining ranks with, among others, Jerry Fodor in the philosophy department. McGinn stayed at Rutgers until 2006, when he accepted a job offer from University of Miami as full time professor.
Although McGinn has written dozens of articles in philosophical logic, metaphysics, and the philosophy of language, he is best known for his work in the philosophy of mind. In his 1989 article "Can We Solve the Mind-Body Problem?", McGinn speculates that the human mind is innately incapable of comprehending itself entirely, and that this incapacity spawns the puzzles of consciousness that have preoccupied Western philosophy since Descartes. Thus, McGinn's answer to the hard problem of consciousness is that humans cannot find the answer. This position has been nicknamed the "New Mysterianism". The Mysterious Flame: Conscious Minds in a Material World (2000) is a non-technical exposition of McGinn's theory.
Outside of philosophy, McGinn has written a novel entitled The Space Trap (1992). He was also featured prominently as an interviewee in Jonathon Miller's Brief History of Disbelief, a documentary miniseries about atheism's history. He discussed the philosophy of belief as well as his own beliefs as an atheist.
Colin McGinn was born in Blackpool, England in 1950. He enrolled in Manchester University to study psychology. However, by the time he received his degree in psychology from Manchester in 1971 (by writing a thesis focusing on the ideas of Noam Chomsky), he wanted to study philosophy as a postgraduate. By 1972, McGinn was admitted into Oxford University's B.Litt postgraduate programme, in hopes of eventually gaining entrance into Oxford's postgraduate B.Phil. programme.
McGinn quickly made the transition from psychology to philosophy during his first term at Oxford. After working zealously to make the transition, he was soon admitted into the B.Phil programme under the recommendation of his advisor, Michael R. Ayers. Shortly after entering the philosophy programme, he won the John Locke Prize in 1972. By 1974, McGinn received the B.Phil degree from Oxford, writing a thesis under the supervision of P.F. Strawson, which focused on the semantics of Donald Davidson.
In 1974, McGinn took his first philosophy position at University College London. In January 1980, he spent two semesters at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a visiting professor. Then, shortly after declining a job at University of Southern California, he succeeded Gareth Evans as Wilde Reader at Oxford University. In 1988, shortly after a visiting term at City University of New York (CUNY), McGinn received a job offer from Rutgers University. He accepted the offer from Rutgers, joining ranks with, among others, Jerry Fodor in the philosophy department. McGinn stayed at Rutgers until 2006, when he accepted a job offer from University of Miami as full time professor.
Although McGinn has written dozens of articles in philosophical logic, metaphysics, and the philosophy of language, he is best known for his work in the philosophy of mind. In his 1989 article "Can We Solve the Mind-Body Problem?", McGinn speculates that the human mind is innately incapable of comprehending itself entirely, and that this incapacity spawns the puzzles of consciousness that have preoccupied Western philosophy since Descartes. Thus, McGinn's answer to the hard problem of consciousness is that humans cannot find the answer. This position has been nicknamed the "New Mysterianism". The Mysterious Flame: Conscious Minds in a Material World (2000) is a non-technical exposition of McGinn's theory.
Outside of philosophy, McGinn has written a novel entitled The Space Trap (1992). He was also featured prominently as an interviewee in Jonathon Miller's Brief History of Disbelief, a documentary miniseries about atheism's history. He discussed the philosophy of belief as well as his own beliefs as an atheist.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 20, 2025
Discovering the Philosopher in You – The Big Questions in Philosophy by Colin McGinn, the under signed has tried to test, extract the philosopher at the end of the book and the result is here http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u...?
10 out of 10
Somehow, this very interesting, informative, challenging, meaningful book has entered obscurity, while the much less relevant Fifty Shades of Grey has millions of ratings and reviews on goodreads, The Big Questions of Philosophy has managed to receive a grand total of five reviews (six, with the publication of these lines that will surely propel the book at number one on the bestselling charts of the...premises at 44D)
To continue in jest, if you are a republican, there is no chance to find a philosopher in you (for that matter, they are all puffed up and brain washed, if they worship the ultimate fool, that calls himself a ‘very stable genius’, a label that he used for Putin, after the latter had started the invasion of Ukraine)
There are some chapters that I found more interesting than others, but let me first say that there might be a reason for the lack of impact that these lectures have had and that would be that philosophers, erudite scholars, sophisticated intellectuals aspire to and know philosophers and the subject matter better than this book will be able to present it, while at the other end, people do not read, or use coloring, books about their favorite celebrities, cooking and have no comprehension for the Big Questions…
What happens to those in between if you have a lack of interest at the lower end and refined, in depth knowledge at the other, well, this where Discovering the Philosophers will help, this is my conviction, it looks like the perfect manual, it is not entitled ‘the fool’s guide’ and since I find it quite inspiring, it must have a decent level, there is the hope that I will not find in the future that it is addressed to the children from kindergarten, and notwithstanding the fact that it is accessible, it helps a lot.
The lecture on happiness was one of the most enticing, with the explanation of utilitarianism and the analysis of the limits that the Jeremy Bentham theory has is pertinent and edifying – there are courses one can consult online, and looking for more education, the under signed has encountered some lectures form Yale on the subject, which invited the many students in the hall to consider the options in a scenario – think that there is a train coming and the way the lines are arranged, it will hit and kill seven people (maybe the figures were different, but never mind) unless you act on a lever and change the course to have the train dispatch to the other world only one person, will you affect the change, why, what are your thoughts on the matter, and though it looks like a simple decision, one or more, it is not…
Colin McGinn brings slavery into discussion, and while the history of torture and abuse of many for the benefit of a few is clear and the atrocities uncontested (unless, of course, we are returning to at least some of the supporters of modern day Caligula, they are led by crazies that speak of Jewish space lasers, praise Putin and the list of abominations is too long) only what if we consider the scenario in which you have few slaves and many take advantage, then according to utilitarian principles, if pleasure is maximized, it could be taken up…
Or take the case where you would have an honest, innocent man, whose torment could make about ten maybe scores of criminals happy, by for instance having his torture produce details of a stash of millions of dollars, codes of access or something similar…what would be the action to take in this instance, hurt the innocent, for the pleasure of many more, applying the rule of do the most happiness to more people…
Perhaps the most relevant lectures would be those on God and the Meaning of life, the last two out of fourteen, some arguments have been encountered, but it is always good to have the mind reflect again on what is vital, fundamental, especially since the most important reflections have not received yet a definite answer…on God, the ‘watch found in the desert is stated’ and the conclusion we come to when we find such a mechanism, that it must have had ‘intelligent design’ even if we do not see the maker, have no idea about him/her, to which we have the contrary position of Darwin and the Theory of Evolution, which explains how we have reached the stage of this incredible development of creatures, humans and beasts.
Appealing would be the argument proposed by Anselm of Canterbury, who said that we can see He exists from the definition, there is ‘no more perfect being than God’, or that means among other traits, existence, and Anselm looks at the situation where there would be another god, that could exist, anyway, it sounds appealing to this atheist and once you have the notion of perfection, it looks to me as if ‘perfect must exist’ and the idea of the Supreme Being is exhilarating, only not in the form presented by exiting doctrines…
I am thinking of working at some new religion – I have written about it on the blog http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... about religiously believing in positive psychology, rules of happiness, which will change so much the look of humanity – but I seem to be too busy, incompetent and the most boring fellow you can meet- that is what the spouse assigned by God – he does have all in his majestic plane, doesn’t He- said yesterday and many times before and after that…
There is also the theory of the Unmoved Mover, but that has flaws (everything does) and then we have the counter–arguments, with the familiar invocation of the unthinkable abuse, death of children – Fyodor Dostoevsky has presented the situation, portraying the poor child that is torn by dogs, as the order of the rich boyar and asked how is this possible http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/07/t... - if there is an Almighty, Omniscient God, how could He allow harm to come to children, and if the answer is Free Will – as given by CS Lewis http://realini.blogspot.com/2015/11/t... - we can still look at the analysis and reject it, believers give examples of miracles, God stopping a storm and other calamities, prompting the retort why is He not doing more and besides, Free Will would explain somewhat the catastrophes produced by humans, only there are volcano eruptions and a great deal of natural calamities which an Almighty could and should end, to suit the definition…
10 out of 10
Somehow, this very interesting, informative, challenging, meaningful book has entered obscurity, while the much less relevant Fifty Shades of Grey has millions of ratings and reviews on goodreads, The Big Questions of Philosophy has managed to receive a grand total of five reviews (six, with the publication of these lines that will surely propel the book at number one on the bestselling charts of the...premises at 44D)
To continue in jest, if you are a republican, there is no chance to find a philosopher in you (for that matter, they are all puffed up and brain washed, if they worship the ultimate fool, that calls himself a ‘very stable genius’, a label that he used for Putin, after the latter had started the invasion of Ukraine)
There are some chapters that I found more interesting than others, but let me first say that there might be a reason for the lack of impact that these lectures have had and that would be that philosophers, erudite scholars, sophisticated intellectuals aspire to and know philosophers and the subject matter better than this book will be able to present it, while at the other end, people do not read, or use coloring, books about their favorite celebrities, cooking and have no comprehension for the Big Questions…
What happens to those in between if you have a lack of interest at the lower end and refined, in depth knowledge at the other, well, this where Discovering the Philosophers will help, this is my conviction, it looks like the perfect manual, it is not entitled ‘the fool’s guide’ and since I find it quite inspiring, it must have a decent level, there is the hope that I will not find in the future that it is addressed to the children from kindergarten, and notwithstanding the fact that it is accessible, it helps a lot.
The lecture on happiness was one of the most enticing, with the explanation of utilitarianism and the analysis of the limits that the Jeremy Bentham theory has is pertinent and edifying – there are courses one can consult online, and looking for more education, the under signed has encountered some lectures form Yale on the subject, which invited the many students in the hall to consider the options in a scenario – think that there is a train coming and the way the lines are arranged, it will hit and kill seven people (maybe the figures were different, but never mind) unless you act on a lever and change the course to have the train dispatch to the other world only one person, will you affect the change, why, what are your thoughts on the matter, and though it looks like a simple decision, one or more, it is not…
Colin McGinn brings slavery into discussion, and while the history of torture and abuse of many for the benefit of a few is clear and the atrocities uncontested (unless, of course, we are returning to at least some of the supporters of modern day Caligula, they are led by crazies that speak of Jewish space lasers, praise Putin and the list of abominations is too long) only what if we consider the scenario in which you have few slaves and many take advantage, then according to utilitarian principles, if pleasure is maximized, it could be taken up…
Or take the case where you would have an honest, innocent man, whose torment could make about ten maybe scores of criminals happy, by for instance having his torture produce details of a stash of millions of dollars, codes of access or something similar…what would be the action to take in this instance, hurt the innocent, for the pleasure of many more, applying the rule of do the most happiness to more people…
Perhaps the most relevant lectures would be those on God and the Meaning of life, the last two out of fourteen, some arguments have been encountered, but it is always good to have the mind reflect again on what is vital, fundamental, especially since the most important reflections have not received yet a definite answer…on God, the ‘watch found in the desert is stated’ and the conclusion we come to when we find such a mechanism, that it must have had ‘intelligent design’ even if we do not see the maker, have no idea about him/her, to which we have the contrary position of Darwin and the Theory of Evolution, which explains how we have reached the stage of this incredible development of creatures, humans and beasts.
Appealing would be the argument proposed by Anselm of Canterbury, who said that we can see He exists from the definition, there is ‘no more perfect being than God’, or that means among other traits, existence, and Anselm looks at the situation where there would be another god, that could exist, anyway, it sounds appealing to this atheist and once you have the notion of perfection, it looks to me as if ‘perfect must exist’ and the idea of the Supreme Being is exhilarating, only not in the form presented by exiting doctrines…
I am thinking of working at some new religion – I have written about it on the blog http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... about religiously believing in positive psychology, rules of happiness, which will change so much the look of humanity – but I seem to be too busy, incompetent and the most boring fellow you can meet- that is what the spouse assigned by God – he does have all in his majestic plane, doesn’t He- said yesterday and many times before and after that…
There is also the theory of the Unmoved Mover, but that has flaws (everything does) and then we have the counter–arguments, with the familiar invocation of the unthinkable abuse, death of children – Fyodor Dostoevsky has presented the situation, portraying the poor child that is torn by dogs, as the order of the rich boyar and asked how is this possible http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/07/t... - if there is an Almighty, Omniscient God, how could He allow harm to come to children, and if the answer is Free Will – as given by CS Lewis http://realini.blogspot.com/2015/11/t... - we can still look at the analysis and reject it, believers give examples of miracles, God stopping a storm and other calamities, prompting the retort why is He not doing more and besides, Free Will would explain somewhat the catastrophes produced by humans, only there are volcano eruptions and a great deal of natural calamities which an Almighty could and should end, to suit the definition…
September 7, 2017
In this lecture series, Professor Colin McGinn gives us a brief run-down of all the main branches of philosophy and the kinds of questions and topic they tackle. I found this course to be insightful in some areas of philosophy as opposed to other lectures I've listen to, namely some of the Great Courses lectures.
Though McGrinn enters into the discussion on the topic of God and the arguments in favor of God and their logical failings, he seems to do so in better taste than Mr. Johnson does in his lectures Exploring Metaphysics. In his lectures, Johnson makes it seem as the only option left to you is that of atheism and he comes to all the conclusions for you rather than trying to have you facilitate your own facilities of judgment in matters of conclusion. The impression I get in these lectures is that McGrinn is more like Socrates and tries to have the listener think for themselves.
Overall, I'd say that this is a good course but it was rather disappointing to me. This is my fault as my expectations were set too high. This is just a brief overview of all the topics of philosophy and there is nothing in his lectures that dives really deep in the subjects he mentions. For me, it was more of a review of topics and history I already knew about.
Though McGrinn enters into the discussion on the topic of God and the arguments in favor of God and their logical failings, he seems to do so in better taste than Mr. Johnson does in his lectures Exploring Metaphysics. In his lectures, Johnson makes it seem as the only option left to you is that of atheism and he comes to all the conclusions for you rather than trying to have you facilitate your own facilities of judgment in matters of conclusion. The impression I get in these lectures is that McGrinn is more like Socrates and tries to have the listener think for themselves.
Overall, I'd say that this is a good course but it was rather disappointing to me. This is my fault as my expectations were set too high. This is just a brief overview of all the topics of philosophy and there is nothing in his lectures that dives really deep in the subjects he mentions. For me, it was more of a review of topics and history I already knew about.
February 4, 2011
A great book. I must listen (read) for everyone to know what philosophy is really all about.
June 27, 2022
A very useful overview of the key topics of philosophy. Plus, in the final chapter, McGinn tells you the meaning of life. Spoiler: it’s a healthy mix of joy, virtue, and knowledge.
November 11, 2012
This is a really great introduction to the major themes of philosophy whcih you can listen to on your ipod! Once you past the annoying American intro, a found McGinn's style relaxed and engaging. I donwloaded this along with Philosophy Bites podcasts from BBc Radio and listened to them on the way to work.
August 3, 2016
The subject matter is fascinating. The content is very good and I did learn much about the central questions of philosophy. Unfortunately the lecturer's voice is not fascinating at all. I recommend not listening when you should not fall asleep and also when you are able to rewind to relisten to the part you missed. That cost a star from my rating. Still, 3 left, and I feel it was time well spent.
June 9, 2010
The professor reading this is totally unengaging. I had a hard time staying awake while listening to this (and that's bad when you're driving). Hopefully the next one I pick up is a winner.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews