Finding my Voice in Beauty
Back in the 80’s, just after my return from India, I read a series on the history of western philosophy by the Jesuit priest Frederick Copleston . At the time, I didn’t care much for the Greek or medieval periods of philosophy. So, I began my reading with volume 4 and Rene Descartes , proceeding through Jean-Paul Sartre in volume 9. A volume 10 and 11 also exist. They, respectively, cover Russian philosophy and compare logical positivism with existentialism . I don’t own either of those. Copleston’s reason for the study is stated in the Preface to volume 1. “My chief motive in writing this book…has been that of supply Catholic ecclesiastical seminars with a work that should be somewhat more detailed and wider of scope than the text-books commonly in use and which at the same time should endeavour to exhibit the logical development and inter-connection of philosophical systems.” (page v) So, there is clearly a Catholic bent throughout. Nevertheless, Copleston’s grasp of western philo