Description
Book SynopsisThe story of Ted Honderich, philosopher, a story of a perilous philosophical life, marked by critical examination, and a compelling personal life full of human drama. This is the story of Ted Honderich's perilous progress from boyhood in Canada to the Grote Professorship of Mind and Logic at University College London, A. J. Ayer's chair. It is compelling, candid and revealing about the beginning and the goal, and everything in between: early work as a journalist on The Toronto Star, travels with Elvis Presley, arrival in Britain, loves and friendships, academic rivalries and battles, marriages and affairs, self-interest and empathy. It sets out resolutely to explain how and why it all happened.
It is as much a narrative of Ted Honderich's philosophy. He makes hard problems real. Philosophy from consciousness and determinism to political violence and democracy comes into sharp focus.
Along the way, questions keep coming up. Does the free marriage owe anything to the analy
Table of Contents
1: This Green Summer; 2: Village; 3: City, School, Saturdays, Girls; 4: From University Distracted, First Love; 5: Awake in England; 6: Bracing Life, Assigned to Punishment, Married Again; 7: A Department Joined, Moral and Political Utterances; 8: Nadir, Determinism Again, America; 9: Academic Battles, Political Violence, an Ending; 10: Effects, a Proud Scot, Justice, 4 Keats Grove; 11: The Higher Social Life, Chancery Court, much Else; 12: Mind and Brain etc., Anathema; 13: Professor, Psychoneural Intimacy, Disarrays; 14: Mental and other Events, Johnny, Determinism done; 15: Life-Hopes, the Grote, an Idea'd Girl; 16: Harmless Drudge, Functionalism, Socialist Landlord; 17: Ingrid, Court Again; 18: Consciousness as Existence, Farewells; 19: Coda
