A History of Philosophy in the Twentieth Century

by Christian Delacampagne, Malcolm B. DeBevoise (Translator)

In A History of Philosophy in the Twentieth Century, Christian Delacampagne reviews the discipline's divergent and dramatic course and shows that its greatest figures, even the most unworldly among them, were deeply affected by events of their time. From Ludwig Wittgenstein, whose famous Tractatus was actually composed in the trenches during World War I, to Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger—one who found himself barred from public life with Hitler's coming to power, the other a member of the Nazi party who later refused to repudiate German war crimes. From Bertrand Russell, whose lifelong pacifism led him to turn from logic and mathematics to social and moral questions, and Jean-Paul Sartre, who made philosophy an occasion for direct and personal political engagement, to Rudolf Carnap, a committed socialist, and Karl Popper, a resolute opponent of Communism. From the Vienna Circle and the Frankfurt School to the contemporary work of philosophers as variously minded as Jacques Derrida, Jürgen Habermas, and Hilary Putnam. The thinking of these philosophers, and scores of others, cannot be understood without being placed in the context of the times in which they lived.

Genres: Philosophy, History

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Christian Delacampagne a fait ses études de philosophie à Paris (École normale supérieure en 1969 ; agrégation de philosophie en 1972 ; doctorat d'État ès lettres et sciences humaines en 1982).

Après avoir exercé divers métiers dans divers pays (professeur de philosophie en lycée, journaliste, directeur d’Institut ou de Centre culturel français à Barcelone, Madrid, Le Caire, Tel-Aviv et attaché culturel à Boston, il s’est installé aux États-Unis en 1998. Il a été professeur d’Études françaises à Connecticut College, New London (CT) de 1998 à 2000, puis à Tufts University, Medford (MA) de 2000 à 2002 et professeur titulaire (littérature et philosophie françaises du xxe siècle) au Département de Langues et Littératures romanes de l'université Johns Hopkins, à Baltimore (Maryland), de 2001 à 2006 inclus, avant de rentrer en France.

Il a publié une trentaine d’ouvrages, dont plusieurs essais portant sur des questions de philosophie politique. Certains d'entre eux ont été traduits dans diverses langues.

Il est également l’auteur de livres écrits avec des artistes et de plusieurs centaines d’articles. Nombre de ces derniers ont paru dans Le Monde, journal auquel il a collaboré de manière régulière de 1973 à 2004. Il a également collaboré de façon occasionnelle à différents journaux et revues, principalement en France (Les Temps modernes, Critique, Cités, Études, Le Magazine littéraire, Le Nouvel Observateur), mais aussi en Espagne (El Viejo Topo, Quimera, El País, La Vanguardia, Cambio 16) et aux États-Unis (Commentary, Raw Vision, French Politics, Culture & Society, SubStance, MLN).

Il meurt le 20 mai 2007 à Paris des suites d'un cancer.

Reviews

[Yakup Öner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Şu ana kadar okuduğum en iyi Felsefe Tarihi kitabı diyebilirim. Belki böyle olmasının sebebi ilgi duyduğum birçok filozof ve felsefe akımının 20. yüzyılda olmasıdır.Felsefeye ilgi duyanlara mutlaka tavsiye ederim.

[Deniz Urs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dönemin akımlarının başlıklarına ve biraz da içeriğine dair bir fikriniz var ise; bu içeriği oluşturan sosyo-ekonomik, kültürel, coğrafi, ilişkisel, psikolojik, siyasi etkileşimi anlamlandırmak açısından çok faydalı bir kaynak. Akıp gidiyor olması da cabası..

[Mümin]

Bana okumam gereken ne kadar çok kitap olduğunu hatırlatan bir çalışma oldu.

[Mr. Superfluous · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although there is a serious absence of feminist and LGBT perspectives (which seems like a glaring oversight for a book purporting to be an overview of twentieth century philosophy), Delacampagne's book offers a readable introduction to the course of twentieth century philosophy.

[Αβδυλλα Aωαςhι · Rating 4 out of 5]

رائع جداً

[Mert · Rating 3 out of 5]

A history of philosophy written in the shadow of political events. Or is the philosophy itself all about it? 20th century philosophy is a bit of history of replacing the question of how to reach the truth, is reality really possible or whether everything is relative. It's a nice compilation written with an interesting perspective, but it does not concern about completeness and impartiality.

[Devon Fritz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very difficult for me. There were lots of references to historical movements that I didn't have enough context of to fully appreciate. I was always terrible at history, so it is likely many people will have not have this problem. I only mention it a cautionary note for those that are in

That being said, the book is an odyssey through the thought of culture as it attempts to discern its meaning as rationalization sees its logical conclusion in not one but two World Wars. This, complemented with Bertrand Russell's "A History Of Western Philosophy" provide a rich window into the history of thought.

[Shalan al shammary · Rating 4 out of 5]

من افضل الكتب التي تناولت الفلسفة في القرن العشرين بالنسبة لي

[Onur Bal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genel olarak tarihi ve felsefi bir yaklaşımda gerçekten çok iyi bir çalışma olduğuna emin olabilirsiniz. 20.Yy felsefesini, Delacampagne dönem içerisindeki tarihsel olaylar ile bağdaştırarak irdeliyor. Bir ideolojik perspektifin göreliliğinden kopamadığını kendisi de belirtse de bu perspektifin eleştirileri önemli noktalara değiniyor ve temellerini sağlam tutuyor. İnanılmaz ve mutlaka okunması gereken bir kitap olarak felsefe tarihi okumaları içerisinde yerini alması gerekli.

[Yan Castaldo · Rating 2 out of 5]

this does an at best middling job of explaining the thinkers and movements it tackles and leaves the reader more confused than they entered.

heidegger, derrida, lacan, and the like can use dense, obscurantist prose all they want. one summarizing their work should not.

[Abdul Kareem Atteh Atteh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read. The book gives another perspective on the century's philosophy one would not get otherwise in many books about history 9f philosophy the 20th century.

[Isabel Torres · Rating 3 out of 5]

Los libros de lectura obligatoria nunca son atractivos, y menos si en pleno mes de mayo pretendes comprender, aunque sea a grandes rasgos, el pensamiento posmoderno

[Aykan Tuzla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fena değil tavsiye ederim.

[Dido Carrero Muñiz]

Demasiadas aclaraciones entre guiones que entorpecen la lectura.