9. Confessions of a Philosopher - Bryan Magee

Brilliant. Inquisitive. Passionate. It may turn out that this book has singlehandedly reignited my interest in philosophy. How do I explain the impact this book has had on me?

Throughout "Confessions of a Philosopher", Bryan Magee shows the reader that philosophy is very much a living and breathing activity devoted to the understanding of why we are here, and what it all means. From the beginning of the book, which is autobiographical in method (not message), he shows how he has struggled all his life with deep philosophical questions. He takes the reader from his childhood through to the time of writing (around 1997), and gives them an overview of how he has ceaselessly and tirelessly tried to pursue an understanding for what he calls the big philosophical problems. In the process we learn much about his life and his time spent studying history and philosophy at Oxford and Yale.

The stories he tells about his personal relationships with some of modern philosophy's big names, Karl Popper, Bertrand Russell, and his interaction with philosophers residing in England at the time is fascinating. There is something deeply inspiring about hearing how Karl Popper would reason or argue on a particular topic in his study with Magee. That kind of first person insight is thrilling. I can't understate how exciting it is to hear about the greats wrestling with the really big questions.

As someone with a science background it came as quite a shock to realise that I am essentially a modern day physicalist, materialist, realist and perhaps even to some extent a logical positivist/empiricist. Magee's discussion of arguments from Kant, Popper and Schopenhauer, and the way he illuminated their logical and rational progression has made me realise for the first time that perhaps science can't explain everything. I've studied over 3 years of physics and mathematics at university and more recently another 4 years of computer science, and I can safely say that this one book has made me start questioning my perspective on all the knowledge and understanding I've taken away from those studies. I realise that I might sound like a crackpot, and perhaps I am, but I'm trying to show how fundamentally challenging his arguments are. Of course I was familiar (and almost comfortable perhaps) with the idea that science doesn't provide pure or perfect truths but theories that are merely supported by huge amounts of evidence, however I've never been presented with good arguments for believing that there is a scope and limit to the way in which science can enlighten us about our universe and our position in it. It's a truly deep and "earth-shaking" situation for me to contemplate. It's incredibly exciting too. These are the kinds of insights I've pulled out of this book.

Magee also places a great emphasis on art as something which brings us closer to these questions (and potential avenues for answers) than perhaps anything else. His is a refreshingly whole-minded outlook in that regard. He agrees that he doesn't believe he can contribute much on this front, but makes some interesting points about the place of artistic creation and appreciation in our understanding of who we are are human beings and where we fit in our world.

I have a renewed respect for genuine philosophers who are doing everything they can to try and understand these things. Magee is at pains throughout this book to point out that philosophy isn't about the mental gymnastics of certain philosophical methods as a means to an end (such as analytic philosophy or linguistic analysis which he equates with the Oxford traditon of the time), but that real philosophy is rooted in experience and a deep and inviolate desire to understand it. I think he's right.

All in all, an inspirational, intellectually honest, humble and well written story. For me it might just turn out to be life changing.