PRAISE OF THEORY: SPEECHES AND ESSAYS

New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1998. First Edition. First Printing.. Hardcover. Fine/Fine Dust Jacket.. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1998. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. First Edition/First Printing. 185 pages. Landmark collection of speeches and essays. One of the most important books on the role of science and technology in our time. The first appearance of the title in English and in the United States. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions, of which there are several. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only by a University Press. The First Edition is now scarce. Presents Hans-Georg Gadamer's "Praise of Theory" in a felicitous English translation. Ten essays that explore important philosophical issues. Edited and translated with an illuminating Introduction by Chris Dawson as part of the Yale Studies In Hermeneutics. "Gadamer brings into sharp focus his thoughts on such topics as the power of language, the social role and influence of science, and the idea of reason" (Publisher's blurb). Should science be regulated by ethical considerations? A growing number of thinkers, especially in America, believe that the answer is a definitive "Yes", out of justified concern that science's expansion and dominance in contemporary culture are unprecedented events since the beginning of time itself, and if left unfettered (such as AI development), will supersede the idea of humanity altogether. Gadamer is a philosopher, that is to say, someone who lives through thinking about what is and what they ought to be at the same time. The gist of his provocative and thoughtful argument is that the "theoretical pursuit of truth is valuable for its own sake and that it is devalued when pursued explicitly for practical purposes". Hence the book's title. That would be a more complex and nuanced "Yes" and "No" to cloning, stem-cell research, and other deeply contentious issues. The essay, "Isolation As A Symptom of Self-Alienation", is one of the single greatest essays Gadamer has ever written. He has never had any use for thinkers who yearn for a nostalgic return to the past (even if there are very few contemporary philosophers whose command of Greek thought and the whole history of philosophy can match his own). A book that illuminates the darkness of our time, radiates with incandescent brilliance, and represents one of the best introductions to the work of possibly the greatest philosopher of the 20th century since Martin Heidegger. Some would go so far as to say that while Heidegger was profoundly original, it was Gadamer, who lived to be 102, who achieved true wisdom. An absolute "must-have" title for Hans-Georg Gadamer collectors. This title is a late-modern classic. This is one of few copies of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing (American) still available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: Should NOT be confused with subsequent printings, of which there are several. Copies available online have serious flaws or are remainder-marked. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare copy thus. One of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER HANS-GEORG GADAMER TITLES IN OUR CATALOG). ISBN 0300073100.