Emerson's Transcendental Etudes

by Stanley Cavell, David Justin Hodge (Editor)

This book is Stanley Cavell’s definitive expression on Emerson. Over the past thirty years, Cavell has demonstrated that he is the most emphatic and provocative philosophical critic of Emerson that America has yet known. The sustained effort of that labor is drawn together here for the first time into a single volume, which also contains two previously unpublished essays and an introduction by Cavell that reflects on this book and the history of its emergence. Students and scholars working in philosophy, literature, American studies, history, film studies, and political theory can now more easily access Cavell’s luminous and enduring work on Emerson. Such engagement should be further complemented by extensive indices and annotations. If we are still in doubt whether America has expressed itself philosophically, there is perhaps no better space for inquiry than reading Cavell reading Emerson.

Genres: Philosophy

296 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 2003

About the author

Stanley Cavell was an American philosopher. He was the Walter M. Cabot Professor of Aesthetics and the General Theory of Value at Harvard University. He worked in the fields of ethics, aesthetics, and ordinary language philosophy. As an interpreter, he produced influential works on Wittgenstein, Austin, Emerson, Thoreau, and Heidegger. His work is characterized by its conversational tone and frequent literary references.

Reviews

[Avel Deleon · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you gear towards the continental philosophy, I am sure you would like this book. If you like myself prefer the analytical tradition this book may not seem like the best fit, but Emerson is unique. What is unique about Emerson? To start, he has a great command of the English language. Having a great command of English makes philosophy more attractive and well, I am sure if you read this book you may learn how to express yourself philosophical. Note, I am not saying you don't know how to express yourself philosophically. It's one thing to argue about philosophy and another to passionate be in love with it. For Emerson philosophy was not merely a tool, but a paint brush to express his most inner dispositions. If you love literature and philosophy, he is the philosopher to approach. He has commented on the works of Shakespear, Homer and Walden. There is one danger to greater writers their arguments may be terrible but if they write well, they may seem great. Rhetoric is a powerful tool to persuade, and no one better can attest to this than the sophists.

[Muzzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got past the first three essays and had to put it down. The author would much rather talk ride his hobby horse of "ordinary language" philosophy than talk about Ralph Waldo Emerson. He should have called this book "Wittgenstein's Transcendental Etudes." For those of us who aren't Wittgenstein scholars, it's too hard to care. Maybe I'll pick it back up someday when I've read a little more continental philosophy.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Expected something readable. I am reasonably familiar with Emerson, and with original philosophy. Perhaps I am less familiar with books about philosophy. This was frankly unreadable.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ridiculously intelligent (well, the 10% of it I genuinely understood), ridiculously well-written.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really want to like this book. A visioning of Emerson as an American philosopher.