Discussions on Philosophy and Literature, Education and University Reform.

HAMILTON, Sir William.

Published by Longman Brown Green and Longmans, London, 1852

About this Item

Half title + TP + [v]-x + [1]-758 + [1]-32 = Publisher's Advertisements, Octavo. First Edition. "A Man of Stupendous Erudition"Hamilton, the Scottish philosopher and logician, was appointed to the chair of logic and metaphysics at the University of Edinburgh in 1836. Hamilton - who the Encyclopedia of Philosophy characterizes as "a man of stupendous erudition" - was strongly influenced by Immanuel Kant and Thomas Reid. In his "A History of Philosophy in America", Bruce Kuklick claims a pivotal role for Hamilton: "By the 1830's German ideas were making inroads at the American colleges. Many Germans immigrating to the United States had read German philosophy directly. Additionally, a trickle of American students returned from Germany with Kantian theories, and translations of German works were periodically published. Most important was the philosophy, in English, of Sir William Hamilton. Although Kant and the Scots had a single enemy in Hume, they still disagreed. Was the noumenal world, that of things in themselves, known? Kant said no, the Scots yes. In the middle of the nineteenth century Hamilton adjudicated this quarrel. An erudite Scottish thinker, Hamilton made German thought relevant to British debate. On the East Coast of the United States his reputation lay in joining the German and Scottish positions. But in welcoming Hamilton the Americans took the first step in transforming collegiate philosophy." (Kuklick, pp. 64-5)This book - the only one published by Hamilton in his lifetime - was made up of articles "chiefly from The Edinburgh Review; Corrected, Vindicated, Enlarged, in Notes and Appendices." Most of these articles had originally appeared anonymously between 1829 and 1839. The work contains some of Hamilton's most interesting and entertaining observations. Original brown embossed cloth binding. Some bumps and wear to boards. Spine worn (as is the gilt lettering) and darkened at the bottom with a small chip the very center of the spine and also on the right edge (see photo). The inside of the front and rear covers carry ads for "Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopæedia". Pages lightly browned - except for the publisher's ads which are quite bright. Overall, a good copy. ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Seller Inventory # 836

Bibliographic Details

Title: Discussions on Philosophy and Literature, ...

Publisher: Longman Brown Green and Longmans, London

Publication Date: 1852

Edition: FIRST EDITION.