Utopias, Dolphins and Computers: Problems of Philosophical Plumbing

by Mary Midgley

Why do the big philosophical questions so often strike us as far-fetched and little to do with everyday life? In Utopias, Dolphins and Computers, Mary Midgley shows that it need not be that way, and makes the case for philosophy as a necessary tool for addressing some of the most pressing questions facing contemporary society: How should we treat animals? Why are we so confused about the value of education? What is at stake in feminism? Why do we think intelligent computers will save us? Exploring these issues and more, Midgley unfailingly identifies what is distorting our judgement and helps us see more clearly the dramas unfolding around us.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Science

159 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Mary Beatrice Midgley (née Scrutton; 13 September 1919 – 10 October 2018[1]) was a British philosopher. She was a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Newcastle University and was known for her work on science, ethics and animal rights. She wrote her first book, Beast And Man (1978), when she was in her fifties. She has since written over 15 other books, including Animals and Why They Matter (1983), Wickedness (1984), The Ethical Primate (1994), Evolution as a Religion (1985), and Science as Salvation (1992). She has been awarded honorary doctorates by Durham and Newcastle universities. Her autobiography, The Owl of Minerva, was published in 2005.

Midgley strongly opposed reductionism and scientism, and any attempts to make science a substitute for the humanities—a role for which it is, she argued, wholly inadequate. She wrote extensively about what philosophers can learn from nature, particularly from animals. A number of her books and articles discussed philosophical ideas appearing in popular science, including those of Richard Dawkins. She also wrote in favour of a moral interpretation of the Gaia hypothesis. The Guardian described her as a fiercely combative philosopher and the UK's "foremost scourge of 'scientific pretension.'"

Reviews

[Amirsaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

خانم مری میجلیِ محترم تاریخ فلسفه رو با مطرح کردن مسائل جدید و قرن بیست و یکمی به چالش می‌کشه. حرفای زیادی درباره‌ی علم می‌زنه و این قضیه که الانه همه دارن به علم به مثابه یه دین متوسل می‌شن. همچنین فصل جنیست و هوبت و فمینیسم کتاب رو بسیار پسندیدم، جایی که میجلی کفرش درمیاد از این‌که همه‌ بزرگان فلسفه در مورد مسئله‌ی زنان یا سکوت می‌کنن یا حرفای کاملا تحجری و ضدزنانه می‌زنن.

[Jassmine]

I'm clearly not reading this, even though I loved the beginning of it - it's the issue of starting too many non-fic books. I'm putting this on-hiatus now, even though I hope to return to it in forseeable future.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Midgley is the kind of philosopher we don't see often enough these days: equal parts creative, subtle, philosophically interesting, non-dogmatic, and readable by a general educated audience rather than merely specialists of some philosophical subfield.

This book would merit high ratings for the brilliant concept of philosophical plumbing alone, but Midgley's essays on utopianism, social atomism, feminism, anthropocentrism, personhood, consciousness, and creativity are also worth careful consideration. One of my favorite things about these essays is the Midgley is often content to clarify the problems involved rather than offering a dogmatic solution, which to my mind is the greater value of philosophy. She also makes frequent interesting use of popular culture, including science fiction, to make her points rather than using popular culture allusions as mere window dressing.

My only criticism is that sometimes Midgley doesn't spend enough time delving into a topic (which might bother specialists) and at other times she lingers too long (which might bother a general audience).

But nonetheless I can't recommend this book enough for both professional philosophers and for anybody with philosophical interests, which, if Midgley is right, ought to be everybody!

[Yobaín Vázquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

La señora Mary Midgley piensa a la filosofía como un asunto de plomería. Dice muy agudamente:

"Cuando los conceptos con los que vivimos funcionan mal, no suelen gotear ruidosamente desde el techo ni inundar el suelo de la cocina. Sólo distorsionan y obstruyen silenciosamente nuestro pensamiento".

Creo que estaría muy de acuerdo en que todo aquello que anteriormente nuestros padres y abuelos daban como hechos inamovibles deban ser criticados y cuestionados (sin que ello sea motivo de burla al decir, por ejemplo, generación de cristal):

"Es preciso que cambiemos el conjunto de supuestos con los que hemos crecido. Tenemos que volver a plantear los supuestos dados, generalmente desordenados e implícitos, de manera que consigamos hallar el origen del problema".

[Khashayar Tajdari · Rating 4 out of 5]

یکی از مسایلی که در این کتاب توجه من رو به خود جلب کرد رویکرد ایجابی و نقادانه سرکار خانم میجلی نسبت به مسایل بدیع دنیای اندیشه بود. این امر به ویژه در ارائه راهکارهای موشکافانه در راستای بهبود مسایلی چون محیط زیست و زنان کتاب رو به اثری قابل تامل و خواندنی تبدیل کرده بود. رویکرد کلی نگر نویسنده که به عکس جریانات فکری مرسوم از دوران مدرن تاکنون هر پدیده رو به جزییات مختلف تقسیم نمی کند هم نکته جالبی بود. نکته ای که بسیاری از اندیشمندان از دید حقیر از آن غافلند. اصالت دادن به کلیت.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult read. I may have been over my head going into it but I found myself losing attention often and had a hard time understanding the overall goal of the book.