E-Book Overview
If you're looking for a good introduction to Merleau-Ponty's thought for a general reader, this book is not as helpful as it could be. I don't think that there would be much understanding gained from Carman's "explanations" of Husserl and Gestalt psychology for all the ink spilled there if you weren't already familiar with these systems of thought. Excursions into contemporary theories are also a bit out of place for a book that really should be focusing on explaining M-P. Carman jumps around within texts themselves, defining terms with quotations sometimes hundreds of pages apart. His own reading of M-P makes less of his purported shift than other scholars, but he doesn't cue readers in on the fact that he is pulling from different chapters in order to make his arguments. What readers--or this one, at least--are probably wanting is a walk through M-P's major texts; what we get is a rather jumbled survey that gives the impression that M-P himself was just as sloppy. Carman clearly has a great knowledge of M-P and an interesting reading of the philosopher. This book could be much shorter and deeper.
E-Book Content
Merleau-Ponty “This is the best introduction to Merleau-Ponty’s work available. It provides a clear and lucid overview of the whole of Merleau-Ponty’s thought, presenting the central ideas and themes of his writings in an accessible yet rigorous way. As such, it will be of interest to beginners and advanced scholars alike.” Mark Wrathall, University of California–Riverside, U.S.A. “…a wonderful exposition of Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy as a whole. It offers clear explanations of Merleau-Ponty’s ideas and some of the most significant theories and movements that influenced him, and shows how his thinking developed across the course of his life. In addition, Carman has written with great panache.” Komarine Romdenh-Romluc, University of Nottingham, U.K. “Carman’s accounting is nuanced, closely argued, and exceptionally clear. His introduction covers the whole of Merleau-Ponty’s considerable corpus, tracing its development and exhibiting its continued relevance for contemporary debates in phenomenology and psychology, philosophy of mind, and metaphysics. It will be enormously useful to teachers and students seeking an accessible introduction to Merleau-Ponty’s writings.” Wayne Martin, University of Essex, U.K. “This book is extremely well written—very clear and engaging—and, with regard to its representation of Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy, the account is comprehensive and insightful. I would recommend this book as the first and main commentary for students to consult.” Sebastian Gardner, University College London, U.K. Routledge Philosophers Edited by Brian Leiter University of Texas, Austin Routledge Philosophers is a major series of introductions to the great Western philosophers. Each book places a major philosopher or thinker in historical context, explains and assesses their key arguments, and considers their legacy. Additional features include a chronology of major dates and events, chapter summaries, annotated suggestions for further reading and a glossary of technical terms. An ideal starting point for those new to philosophy, they are also essential reading for those interested in the subject at any level. Hobbes A. P. Martinich Leibniz Nicholas Jolley Locke E. J. Lowe Hegel Frederick Beiser Rousseau Nicholas Dent Schopenhauer Julian Young Freud Jonathan Lear Kant Paul Guyer Husserl David Woodruff Smith Darwin Tim Lewens Forthcoming: Aristotle Christopher Shields Spinoza Michael Della Rocca Hume Don Garrett Fichte and Schelling Sebastian Gardn