The Betrayal of Wisdom
Robert Kreyche, The Betrayal of Knowledge, New York: Alba Home, 1972, ISBN -8189-0248-5, pp. xii + 237, Charge not stated.
Our globe is exhibiting a sizeable total of fragmentation. It is a tragic point that man even with the huge expanse of his scientific and technological awareness, is continue to in essential ignorance of the authentic requirements of the human spirit and the sort of expertise that would combine the values of his intellect, will and spirit. The postmodern culture which pervades our world is characterized by distrust in the direction of concepts like finality, purpose, soul and the like.
In this book the writer aims at making an attempt to crystal clear up the confusion brought about by modern philosophy’s failure to give a healing solution for the at any time-raising skepticism, positivism and agnosticism affecting the thoughts of gentleman. He provides a skillful examination of the dethronement of human explanation and the ways that are essential to reintegrate it with existence. Philosophy has regrettably, with the rise of analytic and related educational institutions, moved absent from its unique vocation, i.e. to assistance human beings shape their life in holding with the issues of fact. He emphasizes the want of ‘integral realism’, an thought borrowed from Jacques Maritain. If I may possibly summarize the essence of integral realism in a line, it would be: integration not only among philosophy and life, but involving values and facts, theory and observe, the place of personal problem and the details of social daily life.
The e-book has 13 effectively-chosen and perfectly-introduced chapters. The writer displays his erudition and grounding in modern day and contemporary philosophy, notably American philosophy. American by delivery, it is only purely natural that he writes about philosophy in his context and for his context. As a result, in this regard it is not achievable or even correct to fault him. Even so, the reserve has two disadvantages, not in-by itself but in the current context. 1st, the e book was published in the early 1970’s and that’s why some of the “problems” and perhaps some of the counter arguments are not genuinely applicable anymore. Second, the books’ goal audience is American and that’s why people today like me, from a diverse state, come across tiny of what is talked over applicable, attention-grabbing and relatable. For example, the author commonly rates John Dewey and William James, authors who are purely American and consequently usually are not really perfectly regarded in the context of India. Even so, the main subject areas that the author discusses in each individual chapter present precious foods for reflection.
The e book would get the job done nicely as a primer in philosophy. Inexperienced persons will discover the author’s language easy to examine and understand and the concerns easy to grasp. I would endorse this book to all those people setting out on the journey of philosophy. A single has to preserve in mind nevertheless, that the author wrote this guide numerous many years back, addressing a malaise of that time with the awareness he then had. Hence, he does not use principles or strategies that emerged afterwards like the concepts of postmodernism for illustration, whilst some of his proposed solutions had been taken up and promoted by postmodernists. The guide delivers an interesting thesis and throws up numerous options for even further examine and reflection. The creator should be counseled for his operate and for his functional method to philosophy. Even with becoming vital of the common American pragmatism, 1 can observe its subtle affect. The creator concludes the ebook by stating his purpose of crafting it which was to encourage people today to believe roles of mental management and provide fair responses to the challenges of human existence aggravated by the advancement of technology and fundamentalistic doctrines.