Language Truth and Logic by A J Ayer, First Edition (6 results)

Paperback. Condition: VG. 1st Thus. Book is in very good condition with minor signs of wear and/or age. Text a little browned.

Octavo. 254 pp. Original blue cloth with gilt spine. Spine and covers near fore-edge lightly browned. Contemporary ink signature. A very good copy, without the dust jacket. First edition.

First edition, first impression, presentation copy inscribed by the author; 8vo (20.5 x 14.5 cm); presentation inscription in pen to front free endpaper, slight spotting; publisher's blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt, covers slightly marked, minor wear to extremities, very good; 254pp A rare association copy of A.J. Ayer's first, and most important book inscribed by the author 'To Patrick who should appreciate its iconoclasm from AJA with love. Gaudy Night 1936'. Language, Truth and Logic brought the work of the Vienna Circle, and their innovations in the study of empiricism to the attention of British academic philosophers schooled in sense theory. Looking to the advances made in the physical sciences, they sought to formulate a new branch of philosophy known as logical positivism whose conclusions could be deemed as authoritative and meaningful as those of the hard sciences. The recipient, Patrick Gordon Walker (1907-1980) was one of Ayer's closest friends amongst the governing body of Christ Church, Oxford, where both had been undergraduates and where Ayer remained as a lecturer until 1939. A 'gaudy' is Oxford slang for a college feast, usually a reunion for its alumni. In his autobiography, Part of My Life, published in 1977 Ayer recalled: 'Patrick. had been brought back to Christ Church as a history tutor by J.C. Masterman who thought that he would have a good influence over the young men. He disappointed J.C. by developing radical views in politics and getting himself adopted as the Labour candidate for Oxford city. In our different ways we were both rebels, and I liked him for his iconoclasm' (Part of My Life, p.146). Gordon Walker went on to have a successful career in Westminster, serving as MP from Smethick, and later Leyton for nearly 30 years. During his career he served in a number of shadow cabinets, and was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs during Wilson's first ministry. He was made a life peer upon his retirement in 1974, and sat as Lord Gordon-Walker until his death in 1980.

First edition, first impression; 8vo (20.5 x 15 cm); underling and contemporary manuscript notes in pencil to margins to preface and first two chapters, offsetting to top gutter-margin pp62-63; publisher' blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt, extremities slightly toned, original typographic dustjacket lettered in black, spine slightly darkened, a little soiled, edges slightly frayed, very good; 254pp. The rare first edition of A.J. Ayer's landmark work in the field of logical positivism Language, Truth and Logic, even scarcer in the original dustjacket. One of only 500 copies published. Language, Truth and Logic brought the work of the Vienna Circle, and their innovations in the study of empiricism to the attention of British academic philosophers schooled in sense theory. Looking to the advances made in the physical sciences, they sought to formulate a new branch of philosophy known as logical positivism whose conclusions could be deemed as authoritative and meaningful as those of the hard sciences.

First edition, first impression, of the work that brought the ideas of the Vienna Circle to the English-speaking world. Ayer's work is "full of passionate iconoclasm, expressed in a fine cadenced prose. Its central thesis is the verification principle, which divided all statements into the verifiable or the unverifiable. Ayer's ideas scandalized established philosophy (notably H. W. B. Joseph, H. A. Prichard, and Harold Joachim), not least through their self-assurance, and they infiltrated pre-war Oxford mainly through a discussion group of younger dons who met in Isaiah Berlin's rooms in All Souls College" (ODNB). Square octavo. Original blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt. Bookseller's ticket of Blackwells, Oxford, contemporary blue ink ownership signature, and near-contemporary pencilled price, to front pastedown. Light rubbing, faint toning to spine, minor browning to endpapers and contents: a very good copy.

First edition, third impression, of the work which brought the ideas of the Vienna Circle to the English speaking world. This copy contains three autograph letters from Ayer (1910-1989) to Daniel J. O'Connor (1914-2012), a close friend and fellow academic, dated 1964, 1987, and 1988, and an extract from the 20 September 1948 edition of Time, reflecting on the alleged fascist implications of Ayer's philosophy. The correspondence between the two philosophers is friendly and familiar. The letters focus mainly on the exchange of material between the two academics. The second, dated 28 May 1987, reads "I am delighted that you have written a paper for my seventh volume. Please send me a copy as soon as it is typed, as Helen is very dilatory in that respect. Let me know when you expect to be in London." Ayer's work is "full of passionate iconoclasm, expressed in a fine cadenced prose. Its central thesis is the verification principle, which divided all statements into the verifiable or the unverifiable. Ayer's ideas scandalized established philosophy (notably H. W. B. Joseph, H. A. Prichard, and Harold Joachim), not least through their self-assurance, and they infiltrated pre-war Oxford mainly through a discussion group of younger dons who met in Isaiah Berlin's rooms in All Souls College" (ODNB). Square octavo. Original blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt. Engraved bookplate of one "A & B Smethurst", and bookseller's ticket of Parker & Son, Oxford, to front pastedown. Moderate annotations and sidelining to contents. Light bumping and wear, loss to spine ends, faint toning to spine, edges and contents: a very good copy.