Profile Books Ltd A Terribly Serious Adventure Philosophy at Oxford 1900-60.

by Nikhil Krishnan

'A real achievement' New Statesman'Beautifully portrays - and exemplifies - the combined wit and profundity, exuberance and rigour, of Oxford analytic philosophy' TLSWhat are the limits of language? How to bring philosophy closer to everyday life? What makes a good human being?These were among the questions that philosophers wrestled with in mid-twentieth-century Britain, a period shadowed by war and the rise of fascism. In response to these events, thinkers such as Gilbert Ryle, J. L. Austin, Elizabeth Anscombe and Iris Murdoch aspired to a new level of watchfulness and self-awareness about language. Being vigilant about their words was their way to keep philosophy true to everyday experience.A Terribly Serious Adventure traces the friendships and the rivalries, the shared preoccupations and the passionate disagreements of Oxford's most brilliant thinkers. Nikhil Krishnan brings his knowledge and understanding of philosophy to bear on the lives and intellectual achievements of a large and lively cast of characters. Together, they stood for a compelling moral vision of philosophy that is still with us today.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, History

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2023

Reviews

[Vanessa Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. Elegantly and entertainingly written by a philosopher who wears his impressive learning lightly.