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The Philosophy of Brand Blanshard

This book is the latest addition to the Library of Living Philosophers. It fully sustains the importance and distinction of earlier books in this series. One feels some dismay at the size of the volume but this soon fades away. The biographical part, much longer than usual, 'provides an arresting account of Blanshard's early life and the background to his own thinking. It is, in addition, a very fine survey of the course of philosophy as he has seen it in a long life devoted actively to the subject. This centres in turn especially on the thought and personalities of some of the outstanding philosophers of our time, ranging widely from Bradley and Alexander to Moore and Russell and to Joseph and Prichard and Ross and on to Price and Ewing and Ryle, Lovejoy, Stace, Knox and many others. The close friendship of Blanshard himself with these writers, and with many like them, including his fine friendship with G. E. Moore, has made him an ideal person to present them to us in this way. He resists the temptation to deviate too much into incidental eccentricities and passing reminiscence. There is deft and neat sketching of some personal peculiarities and amusing occasions. But these are not obtrusive, and the story moves on lightly with judicious selection of what is most likely to be of interest to philosophers and illuminating in the remainder of the book. There is unfailing kindness (one wonders whether Blanshard could bring himself even to dislike anyone very deeply) and unaffected modesty, but this does not preclude a sharp and incisive presentation of the manner and thought of all the remarkable persons whom it was the fortune of Blanshard to know very closely. Both their personalities and their thought stand out clearly in the story. The style, as we would expect (in the 'Replies' as well) is clear and simple and elegant, making the story as a whole what is sometimes described today as 'a delightful read'. It is a fine complement to the author's widely known monograph, On Philosophical Style; and there would be a strong case for reprinting this part of the volume as a paperback for students and the general public.