The essays collected in this new volume reveal Isaiah Berlin at his most lucid and accessible. He was constitutionally incapable of writing with the opacity of the specialist, but these shorter, more introductory pieces provide the perfect starting-point for the reader new to his work. Those who are already familiar with his writing will also be grateful for this further addition to his collected essays.
The connecting theme of these essays, as in the case of earlier volumes, is the crucial social and political role--past, present and future--of ideas, and of their progenitors. A rich variety of subject-matters is represented--from philosophy to education, from Russia to Israel, from Marxism to romanticism--so that the truth of Heine's warning is exemplified on a broad front. It is a warning that Berlin often referred to, and provides an answer to those who ask, as from time to time they do, why intellectual history matters.
Among the contributions are "My Intellectual Path," Berlin's last essay, a retrospective autobiographical survey of his main preoccupations; and "Jewish Slavery and Emancipation," the classic statement of his Zionist views, long unavailable in print. His other subjects include the Enlightenment, Giambattista Vico, Vissarion Belinsky, Alexander Herzen, G.V. Plekhanov, the Russian intelligentsia, the idea of liberty, political realism, nationalism, and historicism. The book exhibits the full range of his enormously wide expertise and demonstrates the striking and enormously engaging individuality, as well as the power, of his own ideas.
"Over a hundred years ago, the German poet Heine warned the French not to underestimate the power of ideas: philosophical concepts nurtured in the stillness of a professor's study could destroy a civilization."--Isaiah Berlin, Two Concepts of Liberty, 1958
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"The Power of Ideas ... captures, in crystalline fashion, not just the power of ideas in history but the utility of Berlin's own ideas in understanding what is happening today in the world."--Strobe Talbott, author of At the Highest Levels: The Inside Story of the End of the Cold War
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Book Description paperback. Condition: New. Language: ENG. Seller Inventory # 9780712665544
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Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. 'Over a hundred years ago, the German poet Heine warned the French not to underestimate the power of ideas: philosophical concepts nurtured in the stillness of a professor's study could destroy a civilisation' - Isaiah Berlin, Two Concepts of Liberty, 1958. Seller Inventory # B9780712665544
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 256 pages. 9.21x6.02x0.71 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0712665544
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Book Description Condition: New. 2001. New Ed. Paperback. These essays focus on the social and political role - past, present and future - of ideas and of their progenitors. Contents include "My Intellectual Path", an autobiographical survey of Berlin's main preoccupations, and "Jewish Slavery and Emancipation", the classic statement of his Zionist views. Editor(s): Hardy, Henry. Num Pages: 256 pages. BIC Classification: HPC; JFCX; JFSR1. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 234 x 155 x 22. Weight in Grams: 338. . . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # V9780712665544
Book Description Condition: New. 2001. New Ed. Paperback. These essays focus on the social and political role - past, present and future - of ideas and of their progenitors. Contents include "My Intellectual Path", an autobiographical survey of Berlin's main preoccupations, and "Jewish Slavery and Emancipation", the classic statement of his Zionist views. Editor(s): Hardy, Henry. Num Pages: 256 pages. BIC Classification: HPC; JFCX; JFSR1. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 234 x 155 x 22. Weight in Grams: 338. . . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780712665544
Book Description PAP. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000. Seller Inventory # GB-9780712665544
Book Description Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware - 'Over a hundred years ago, the German poet Heine warned the French not to underestimate the power of ideas: philosophical concepts nurtured in the stillness of a professor's study could destroy a civilisation' - Isaiah Berlin, Two Concepts of Liberty, 1958.The nineteen essays collected here show Isaiah Berlin at his most lucid: these short, introductory pieces provide the perfect starting point for the reader new to his work. Their linking theme is the crucial social and political role of ideas, and of their progenitors. The subjects vary widely - from philosophy to education, from Russia to Israel, from Marxism to romanticism - and the appositeness of Heine's warning is exemplified on a broad front. The contents include Berlin's last essay - a retrospective autobiographical survey and the classic statement of his Zionist views. As a whole the book exhibits the full range of his expertise, and demonstrates the enormously engaging individuality, as well as the power, of his own ideas. Seller Inventory # 9780712665544