Flowers and herbs of love

by Roy Genders

The Jesuit philosopher and theologian discusses the heuristic structures of empirical method, common sense, the activity of insight, and the processes through which man puts his creative intelligence to work

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

95 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

Reviews

[Ken]

This is the most substantial piece of writing I have read in the past decade. The ambition of it is astounding: to Understand Understanding, what happens when we understand something, and in turn what it is that we understand on those occasions when we do so. The author is attempting to do in the 20th Century what Aquinas tried to do in his century, taking into account all that has happened in mathematics, philosophy, the physical and social sciences in the intervening centuries. The implications for epistemology and metaphysics, for ethics (including politics), for both "natural" and "revealed" theology are outlined in detail. Although it's hard to think of a more universally pertinent topic than "human understanding", few actual humans would think of the questions addressed in this volume; even fewer would attempt to answer them, and very few would make such an impressive performance. Bernard Lonergan, a Jesuit with advanced study in philosophy and mathematics as well as theology, was one of the very few. I plan to read this text through at least once more within the next few months. Whether or not you think he succeeded in his ambition, reading this text is one of the most exhilarating intellectual experiences you are likely to encounter. I cannot think of a text with more "thoughts per page" than this one. If, like me, you tend to "skim" most texts presuming that most of the ink is simply fluff, be warned: there is NO fluff here. However closely you read Insight, there is meaning to be harvested. Of course this may not be your taste in books, but I will venture that if you do devote the time this text requires you will never regret having invested it here. It will be time spent with one of the Great Teachers.

[Leonardo]

Octavio Groppa recomienda mucho este libro.
Entiendo que hay alguna edición en varios volúmenes y que esta sería la edición completa del libro.

[Mats Winther · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is more a personal reflection than a formal review. What surprised me about this book, written by a renowned Catholic theologian, is that it’s not anchored in Christian theology but rather in philosophy and science. He evaluates the influence of liberal, Hegelian, Marxist, and romantic theories of history as “profound” (Epilogue). Lonergan returns to the concept of ‘cosmopolis’ (the universal human community bound by reason and natural law). His conception of cosmopolis closely resembles the Roman/Stoic ideal and represents a form of Enlightenment thinking, as it depends on the possibility of developing both a critical human science and a universally accepted philosophy (ch. 20). His description of cosmopolis as “the higher synthesis of the liberal thesis and the Marxist antithesis” (ch. 8.6) is very remote from a traditional Christian view. In contrast, Augustine, in “The City of God,” systematically critiques the concept of cosmopolis, offering instead his vision of the Civitas Dei—an invisible spiritual community comprising all pilgrims in Christ throughout history who have remained spiritually detached from the world. I’m aware that my personal bias overshadows objective analysis, but I cannot endorse the book.