Lexington Books
Pages: 544
•
Trim: 6⅜ x 9⅜
978-0-7391-8675-6 • Hardback • December 2015 • $182.00 • (£140.00)
Ramesh Kumar Sharma is emeritus fellow in the Department of Philosophy, University of Delhi.
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Reality and Existence
Chapter 3 Substance and Characteristics
Chapter 4 The Nature of Substance: Some Key Doctrines
Chapter 5 Matter and Sensa: Their Perspective Claims To Reality (Substancehood)
Chapter 6 The Case of Spirit: McTaggart’s Idealism
Chapter 7 Reality of the Self: Empirical Considerations
Chapter 8 Selves and the Absolute
Chapter 9 The Absolute, (Self), and God
Chapter 10 The Self and Immortality
Chapter 11 Pre-Existence, (Post-Existence), and Plurality of Lives
Chapter 12 Perception
Chapter 13 Afterword
This well-presented and diligently-researched book provides a closely written, in-depth analysis of the work of the last great British idealist, John McTaggart Ellis McTaggart. . . Sharma brings a refreshingly balanced and objective analysis to McTaggart’s philosophy; in doing so, he provides a thorough resource that will encourage others to look at McTaggart afresh and see him as a philosopher worthy of the closest scrutiny in the twenty-first century.
— The Philosophical Quarterly
This book is a splendid treatment of one of the most important British neoHegelian philosophers. Its very careful exposition of McTaggart is a breath of fresh air, and the fact that it actually defends the man’s grand system of thought adds to its originality and its spice. Like McTaggart’s works themselves, this book is very impressive for its careful defense of views that are today unpopular. In particular it does a first-class job of showing how McTaggart’s unpopular conclusions are reached by employing techniques that are often remarkably close to ones currently used by “analytic” philosophers. An undeniably splendid book.
— John Leslie, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
This book is an excellent and lucid analysis of McTaggart’s philosophy, and in particular engages deeply with the arguments on the nature of substance and immortality. Not only is this an important and welcome introduction to McTaggart’s thought, it also reflects the philosophical insight and depth of the author. Must read for anybody interested in these abiding questions of metaphysics.
— Sundar Sarukkai, Manipal University