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More copies of this ISBN:Wittgenstein's Poker: The Story of a Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophersby David Edmonds
Synopses & ReviewsFrom Powells.com: William Blake saw "the world in a grain of sand." David Edmonds
and John Eidinow had something trickier in mind. They sought to find buried
in the details of a ten minute argument the entire intellectual history
of the 20th century. Proof of their success is this extraordinary book
Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper, both hugely influential philosophers,
met but once, to disastrous results. Though the confrontation between
these Titanic minds has since taken on a mythic aura, what actually happened
remains a matter of heated debate. No matter. For Edmonds and Eidinow
what's important are the questions raised, for each points the way toward
another fascinating investigation of 20th-century intellectual life. The
purpose of philosophy, the significance of language, the nature of knowledge,
the personality of genius — not to mention a concise history of the
Austrian Jews and the rise of Nazism — are all explored in Edmonds's
and Eidinow's witty, readable prose. Farley, Powells.com Publisher Comments:On October 25,1946, in a crowded room in Cambridge, England, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper came face-to-face for the first and only time. The encounter lasted just ten minutes, and did not go well.Their loud and aggressive confrontation became the stuff of instant legend. Almost immediately, rumors spread around the world that the two great philosophers had come to blows, armed with red-hot pokers.Twenty years later, when Popper wrote an account of the incident, he portrayed himself as the victor, provoking intense disagreement. Everyone present seems to have remembered events differently.What really happened in those ten minutes? And what does the violence of this brief exchange tell us about these two men, modern philosophy, and the significance of language in solving our philosophical problems? Wittgenstein's Pokeris an engaging mix of philosophy, history, biography. and literary detection. David Edmonds and John Eidinow evoke with dazzling clarity the tumult of fin-de-siècle Vienna, Wittgenstein's and Popper's birthplace; the tragedy of the Nazi takeover of Austria; and Cambridge University, with its eccentric set of philosophy dons, including Bertrand Russell, who acted as umpire at the meeting. At the center of the story stand the two philosophers themselves — proud, irascible, larger-than-life — and spoiling for a fight. Review:"In their dramatic reconstruction of the event, the authors succeed in conveying a narrative suspense usually associated with adventure fiction.Even if it didn't make the headlines, the clash between these cerebral titans was, in hinsight, among the most significant happenings of 1946." (Herald [England]) Review:"Forensically reconstructs a spirited intellectual battle between two heavyweights, divided by their common Viennese Jewish background." Independent Review:"Entertaining and thoughtful...there are enough funny stories about Wittgenstein to make the story interesting even to a resolute non-philosopher." Observer Review:"It's a brilliant idea to take one small ambiguous incident as the starting point for investigating this century's philosophy, and all the historical events that shaped it.The authors have an extremely good grasp of the philosophical ideas, and a tremendous ability to explain them." (Michael Frayn) Synopsis:On October 25, 1946, in a crowded room in Cambridge, England, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper came face to face for the first and only time. The meeting did not go well. Their loud and aggressive confrontation became the stuff of instant legend. But precisely what happened in those ten minutes remains the subject of intense disagreement. Almost immediately rumors spread around the world that the two great philosophers had come to blows, armed with red hot pokers. What really went on in that room? And what does the violence of this brief exchange tell us about these two men, modern philosophy, post war culture, and the difference between global problems and logic puzzles? As the authors unravel these events, your students will be introduced to the major branches of 20th century philosophy, the tumult of fin-de-siÈ cle Vienna— the birthplace of Popper and Wittgenstein, the events that led to the Nazi takeover of Austria, and Cambridge University, with its eccentric set of philosophy dons, including Bertrand Russell, who acted as umpire at the infamous meeting. At the center of the story stand the two philosophers themselves-proud, irascible, larger-than-life-and ready for a heated debate. About the AuthorDavid Edmonds is an award-winning journalists with the BBC. This book, his first, has been translated into more than a dozen languages. What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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