From Athena Rare Books ABAA, Fairfield, CT, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
AbeBooks Seller since 24 January 2003
About this Item
Volume 1: original front wrap + 1 leaf + TP + 1 leaf + [3]-492 + original back wrap; Volume 2: original front wrap + 1 leaf + TP + 1 leaf + [3]-508 + original back wrap, Octavo. Hippolyte Taines's most important work. Regarding the psychology: "Modern psychology. in France may be said to begin in 1870, when two important books were published, Taine's De L'Intelligence and Ribot's La Psychologie anglaise contemporaine in which the prevailing associationism was well and clearly expounded." (Flugel, A Hundred Years of Psychology). "The history of psychological theories in France entered upon a new phase in 1870. Whatever else may be thought of the work done by Taine, no one would deny his right to be considered the leader of the empirical school and the exponent of concrete practical methods of study." (Brett, History of Psychology) Although Taine's philosophical views were formed early in life under the influence of Spinoza, Hegel and classical science, they were first systematically expounded in this book. The theory of mind presented here is based on Taine's general monism and determinism. In his work on intelligence Taine insists that there are no entities corresponding to words such as "faculty, 'power', 'self'. Psychology for him is the study of facts; and in the self or ego we find no facts except 'the series of events' which are all reducible to sensations. In this line of thought, considered by itself, Taine goes as far as any empiricist could wish. "We think that there are neither minds nor bodies, but simply groups of movements present or possible, and groups of thoughts present or possible." And it is interesting to observe Taine's insistence on the bewitching power of language, which induces philosophers to postulate unreal entities that "vanish when one scrupulously examines the meaning of the words." His empiricism also shows itself in his rejection of the a priori method of Spinoza, a method which can do no more than reveal ideal possibilities. Any knowledge of existing reality must be based on and result from experience. contemporary green half-linen with marbled boards (with the original wraps bound in) and gilt lettering on the spine. Very minor rubbing to extremities and light foxing throughout. A really beautiful copy. PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Seller Inventory # 11
Bibliographic Details
Title: De L'Intelligence (On the Intelligence).
Publisher: Hachette, Paris
Publication Date: 1870
Condition: Bound
Edition: FIRST EDITION
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