A better introduction than most
June 15, 2010
Someone (I think Simon Critchley?) once said that Dostoevsky’s books make for a better introduction to philosophy than most ‘introduction to philosophy’ books. I think the same is true of Ian McEwan’s Saturday (2005). If you are interested in ethics, the philosophy of mind, politics or moral psychology, this book makes a superb introduction, throwing into an interesting light many central concerns of those areas.
Philosophical questions get a grip on us, I think, once we are provoked into reflection about how complicated and opaque we and our world are. Literature (and art in general) is particularly capable of providing this provocation, and this book does so in spades.
If I were designing an intro-to-philosophy type course, this book would definitely be on the summer reading list.
Thanks for the recommendation. The only book of his I’ve read is Enduring Love. Should I read this one before or after Atonement?
Hey Cam. I actually haven’t read Atonement (or Enduring Love), so I don’t know! I’ve also read Amsterdam which I thought was brilliant. Exam season is a good time to start some procrastinatory reading
I suspect ‘Saturday’ is shorter than most things by Dostoyevsky, too. Brothers Karamazov once took up an entire summer of mine – but yes, very worth it!
Hey Meredith, very true. But it sounds like you are still holding a grudge against Fyodor for lost time!