Philosopher A Kind Of Life - Hardcover

"This is an unusual book, by an unusual man ... In decades to come it will be invaluable to historians and indeed to anyone who wants to know just what academic and philosophical life was like in the second half of the 20th Century, as seen from the perspective of one who was very much part of it, but without losing any of his striking and forceful personality." - Anthony O'Hear, "The Spectator "This is an excellent book...a significant contribution to the cultural and social history of the last half-century." -Alasdair MacIntyre "Honderich's experiment, at once theoretical and literary, is without doubt a success, for the reader is led to follow this man's human and intellectual fortunes with the degree of interest normally inspired by a novel... The person one has the impression of having got to know by the end of the book is not lacking in defects, but certainly evokes sympathy for the way he has avoided putting himself on a pedestal." -Mario Ricciardi, "Il Sole Ventiquattrore ..."a tale worth telling, and a tale worth reading." -"Radical Philosophy "This will appeal to all those fascinated by the inner life of a philosopher." -"Good Books Guide

The 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 analytic philosophy? What are the costs of truth? Are the politics of England slowly making it an ever-better place? Is an action's rightness independent of the mixture of motives out of which it came?