The importance of Dilthey Why read Dilthey today? Why study the ideas of a nineteenthcentury German philosopher some seventy years after his death? ...

This volume provides a unique overview and analysis of the philosophy and thought of Wilhelm Dilthey, and examines his writings in terms of their contemporary relevance. Rickman contends that the hub of Dilthey's work was his philosophy of the human studies, and that his ideas were directly relevant to the future of the social sciences. The book focuses on Dilthey's contribution not only to philosophy but also to history, psychology, sociology, anthropology, literary criticism, and the methodology of human studies in (...) general; his bearing on present-day concepts is documented by quotations from modern authors in these various fields. This incisive study also includes a critical assessment of the ambiquities and tensions in Dilthey's writing, which have been underscored by the recent first publication of some of his important manuscripts, and examine how contemporary thought has been stimulated by these ambiguities and by his resolute attempts to confront reality in all its complexities. (shrink)

This book is an introduction to the philosophical ideas of Plato, Rene Descartes, Baruch Spinoza, and Immanuel Kant on the role of reason which have contributed to the evolution of sociological thought. Reason, according to Rickman, has a relevance to sociology that has not been explored. Because he is interested in the philosophical reflections which proved influential for understanding the social world, he deals systematically with the four philosophers' central arguments and one or more of their most important and easily (...) available texts. The book's bibliography lists books quoted and referred to in the text and offers suggestions for further reading in the philosophy of the social sciences. (shrink)

This volume presents a selection of Professor Rickman's essays published over a period of 40 years. They reflect his view of philosophy and defend it against attacks on two fronts. On one side the assault comes from a substantial proportion of professional philosophers particularly in the Anglo-Saxon world, who treat philosophy as a purely academic, highly technical subject, dealing merely with the clarification of concepts, the solving of logical puzzles and the refutation of similarly abstruse theories of fellow philosophers. On (...) the other side there is the widespread popular view of philosophy as dealing with abstract problems remote from everyday life and invented by philosophers in their ivory towers. Both sides share a common premise: the uselessness of philosophy. (shrink)