
The Life of Reason
'The Life of Reason' Summary
The work is considered to be the most complete expression of Santayana's moral philosophy; by contrast, his later magnum opus, the four-volume The Realms of Being, more fully develops his metaphysical and epistemological theory, particularly his doctrine of essences. Santayana's philosophy is strongly influenced by the materialism of Democritus and the refined ethics of Aristotle, with a special emphasis on the natural development of ideal ends.
The Life of Reason is sometimes considered to be one of the most poetic and well-written works of philosophy in Western history. To supply but a single example, the oft-quoted aphorism of Santayana's, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," may be found on p. 284 of Reason in Common Sense.
In 1951, near the end of his life, Santayana engaged himself in the weighty task of producing a one-volume abridgment of The Life of Reason at the urging of his editor at Scribner's, with the assistance of his friend and student, Daniel Cory. As Cory writes in the volume's preface, in addition to excising prolixities and redundancies from the book, "a sustained effort was made to dispel those early mists of idealism from the realistic body of his philosophy, and to make clear to the reader that our idea of a natural world can never be that world itself."
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1910Authors

George Santayana
Spain
Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruiz de Santayana y Borrás, known in English as George Santayana, was a philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist. Originally f...
Books by George SantayanaDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

American Notes by Charles Dickens
In 'American Notes', Charles Dickens shares his candid observations and experiences from his 1842 journey through the United States. Covering a range...

Yet Again by Max Beerbohm
Max Beerbohm's 'Yet Again' is a collection of essays exploring diverse themes and styles. Beerbohm, a renowned English writer and artist, delves into...

Nachlaß des Diogenes von Sinope by Christoph Martin Wieland
Christoph Martin Wieland's "Nachlaß des Diogenes von Sinope" is a satirical novel that uses the figure of the famous Cynic philosopher Diogenes of Sin...

Herbals, Their Origin and Evolution: A Chapter in the History of Botany by Agnes Arber
Agnes Arber's 'Herbals, Their Origin and Evolution' is a comprehensive exploration of the history of herbals, books that documented the uses of plants...

Beacon Lights of History, Vol 4: Imperial Antiquity by John Lord
“Beacon Lights of History, Vol 4: Imperial Antiquity” by John Lord delves into the lives and legacies of prominent figures from the Roman Empire. It e...

Resurrection, Book 3 by Leo Tolstoy
Resurrection is a novel by Leo Tolstoy that explores themes of redemption, social justice, and the hypocrisy of institutionalized religion. The story...

Kitab Adab al-Dunya w'al-Din (The Ethics of Religion and of this World) by Abu al-Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Habib al-Mawardi
Kitab Adab al-Dunya w'al-Din is a comprehensive work on Islamic ethics and morality written by Abu al-Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Habib al-Mawardi. Div...

Mardi Vol. 2 by Herman Melville
Mardi is Herman Melville's first purely fictional work, a complex and philosophical novel that explores the nature of belief and the search for truth....

muerte de Ivan Ilitch by Leo Tolstoy
La muerte de Iván Ilich es una novela corta de León Tolstói que explora la naturaleza de la vida y la muerte a través del viaje de un hombre que enfre...

Our Little Jewish Cousin by Mary Hazelton Blanchard Wade
This book is a comprehensive introduction to Jewish culture, history, and religion for young readers. It covers a wide range of topics, including the...
Reviews for The Life of Reason
No reviews posted or approved, yet...