The lyric poems of Horace and Housman are two enigmatic bodies of work that have much in common, and a close reading of each poet's writings can illuminate the other's. This is the first book to provide a detailed, critical comparison between these two poets, and also the first to make use of Housman's unpublished lectures on Horace.
The book presents a compelling defense of literary humanism, arguing that imaginative literature possesses an objective meaning established at the time of its creation, independent of readers' interpretations. Richard Gaskin emphasizes that engaging with literature is a cognitive endeavor comparable to scientific inquiry, highlighting the intellectual rigor involved in literary appreciation.
Reading Shakespeare through Wittgenstein
Focusing on the epistemological issues in Othello, this book employs analytic philosophy, particularly the insights of later Wittgenstein, to delve into the complexities of knowledge and belief depicted in the play. It examines how Shakespeare navigates themes of perception, truth, and understanding, offering a philosophical lens to interpret the characters' struggles and the narrative's unfolding.
Exploring linguistic idealism, the book argues that reality is shaped by language. Gaskin engages with contemporary metaphysics, philosophy of language, philosophical logic, and syntax theory, presenting a comprehensive defense of this thought-provoking thesis. Through a detailed examination of various topics, the work challenges conventional views and invites readers to reconsider the relationship between language and the world.
This book offers a unique interpretation of tragic literature in the Western tradition, deploying the method and style of Analytic philosophy. Richard Gaskin argues that tragic literature seeks to offer moral and linguistic redress (compensation) for suffering.
The series, founded in 1970, publishes works which either combine studies in the history of philosophy with a systematic approach or bring together systematic studies with reconstructions from the history of philosophy. Monographs are published in English as well as in German. The founding editors are Erhard Scheibe (editor until 1991), Günther Patzig (until 1999) and Wolfgang Wieland (until 2003). From 1990 to 2007, the series had been co-edited by Jürgen Mittelstraß.