Dream of Reason: A History of Western Philosophy from the Greeks to the Renaissance
by Anthony Gottlieb
In "Dream of Reason: A History of Western Philosophy from the Greeks to the Renaissance," Anthony Gottlieb explores the evolution of Western philosophical thought, illustrating how new ideas often emerge from the tension between established beliefs. The book emphasizes the interplay between scientific inquiry and philosophical speculation, exemplified by Georg Cantor's groundbreaking work on infinity, which initially faced skepticism from his peers yet later became foundational in mathematics. Gottlieb highlights three significant philosophical schools: the Epicureans, the Stoics, and the Sceptics. Each reflects distinct approaches to ethics and knowledge, with Epicureans advocating for pleasure as the highest good, Stoics emphasizing virtue and rationality, and Sceptics questioning the possibility of certain knowledge. This triad of thought showcases the diverse responses to existential questions and the nature of reality, revealing how philosophical discourse can both clash and converge. Central to Gottlieb's message is the idea that philosophy is a dynamic and evolving field, continuously shaped by dialogue, debate, and the challenges of new concepts. By tracing these developments, he underscores the importance of critical thought and the enduring relevance of philosophical inquiry in understanding the human experience.
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A small but typical example of how ‘philosophy’ sends out new shoots is to be found in the case of Georg Cantor, a nineteenth-century German mathematician. His research on the subject of infinity was at first written off by his scientific colleagues as mere ‘philosophy’ because it seemed so bizarre, abstract and pointless. Now it is taught in schools under the name of set-theory.
There were three main new schools of thought: the Epicureans, the Stoics and the Sceptics. On the whole, if an Epicurean said one thing, a Stoic would say the opposite and a Sceptic would refuse to commit himself either way.
