The Philosophical I

Reviews / Votes

George Yancy's The Philosophical I humanizes philosophy in the sense of giving philosophy a 'voice.' In giving philosophy a narrative voice, Yancy's text focuses on the flesh and blood human beings who breathe life into philosophy as they heroically confront the social, political, cultural, and other factors that shape the drama of life. -- Clevis Headley, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Florida Atlantic University Even among academics, philosophers are an odd bunch; and it's no wonder that most people cannot imagine what it is we do or why we do it. The candor and wit of these essays and the vivid presence of their authors on the page hold and reward the attention of those who are among that odd bunch, while also reaching out to others, who - but for having this book placed in their hands-might never have imagined such a fate for themselves. -- Naomi Scheman, professor of philosophy and women's studies, University of Minnesota A fascinating collection of autobiographies by important philosophers in the United States and Canadian academy. Yancy has brought together philosophers of different races, sexes, temperaments, nationalities, and various career stages to discuss those experiences that have shaped them and their life in philosophy. While many of the contributors do share a penchant for pragmatism, even this similarity takes on an idiosyncratic form for each philosopher. What emerges in this work, then, is a subtle tapestry of multiple philosophical voices: Each philosopher tells his or her own biographical story, and through the combination of these stories we attain a unique perspective on the changing landscape of United States and Canadian academic philosophy of the last 50 years. * APA Newsletter on Philosophy and the Black Experience * These essays by professional philosophers can serve as a roadmap for students looking for guidance either in their search for a career in philosophy or in areas of future study. The book can also speak to educated general readers who are interested in philosophical issues but do not know how to put them into a context of their own lived experience. Rare is the book tha can speak to such a broad audience. This one can. Recommended. * CHOICE * The various authors supply vivid and often very moving accounts of the vexed question of affirmative action in universities, of struggles over sexism and racism.... Some of the details of these lives in philosophy are at once amusing, terribly moving and human, all too human. The variety of positions held by the contributors is remarkable, ranging as they do from feminist epistemology and 'standpoint epistemology' to philosophies of race and ethnicity, ethics, philosophy of religion, and pragmatism. * Radical Philosophy * This is a welcome addition to the too-rare genre of contemporary philosophical autobiography. Including a healthy contingent of
women and feminists, it is a blessedly varied collection of reminiscences, from young warriors in the profession to elder statesmen. -- Robert C. Solomon, Quincy Lee Centennial Professor of Business and Philosophy and Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas, Aust In various less spectacular ways than documented by tales of the arrogance and oafishness woman philosophers face, these essays drive home the impact of the autobiographical on the philosophical. When philosophers share the details of their lives, the impact extends to the reader. -- Carlin Romano * The Chronicle of Higher Education *