Jonathan Swift and Philosophy

Reviews / Votes

This fascinating collection testifies to Swift's important place in the history of ideas, despite him once joking that 'all notions too abstracted / Are like the ravings of a crackt head'. These provocative and lucidly-written essays range across the Swift canon, positioning his works in intense dialogue with other key Enlightenment thinkers on issues of ethics, science and politics. Yet, most significantly, Jonathan Swift and Philosophy reveals to us an enduring writer whose works speak profoundly to the debates of today. -- Greg Lynall, University of Liverpool This volume produces a deeper appreciation of Swift while shedding light on philosophers like Locke and Plato. No mere "battle of the books," it's reason versus emotion, and cynicism versus satire. Debating it all is no mean task or modest proposal. -- William Irwin, King's College, Pennsylvania The best authors teach us about ourselves by telling us stories about other people. And Jonathan Swift is one of the best. Through his tales, his wit, and his irony, we learn about our world (science), ourselves (ethics), and our relationships to other people (politics). Each section of this book explores one of these elements of our lives through philosophical analyses of Swift's works. Readers will gain a deeper appreciation for their own world by exploring the rich philosophical landscapes of Swift's. -- Jacob Held, University of Central Arkansas