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The Life of the Mind: On the Joys and Travails of Thinking |
Author: James V. Schall
Published: 2008-04-15 |
List price: $15.00
Our price: $12.00
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As of: January 07th, 2009 08:45:32 PM
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Customer comments on this selection.
 Understand what is
Father Schall's book reads like a series of lectures given in one of his classrooms, in order to stimulate his students at Georgetown. He praises highly the pursuit of knowledge, and especially recommends Catholic authors in that pursuit. As with Eric Voegelin, Schall seeks to meld the life of reason with that of reveation, and he does not see as much conflict as, say, Leo Strauss.
He emphasizes the active pursuit of knowledge as the path to the Truth, or that which is. In this he reveals a fundamental flaw, in that all thought is essentially old and is constantly being brought into the active present. But thought obscures that which is, and veils the Truth of each moment. In active contemplation (or meditation) thought goes into abeyance and the mystery is frequently revealed.
All in all, a very enjoyable book. I particularly liked his"Reading for Clerics."
 Mental Progress
"The Life of the Mind" is devoted to revering our historical thinkers.
I expected an element of practical application.
 In praise of thought
Schall has become one of my favorite authors. He cuts through the trendy, the merely useful, and everything else we tend to think of as urgent and invites us to do what we were meant to do: seek truth. In the process, he reintroduces us to Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Boswell, Chesterton, and scores of other authors who can be our companions in this quest. It does no good to be busy unless one has chosen one's activity wisely. It does no good to hurry unless one has chosen the right way. Therefore, done rightly, thinking is the most "practical" of pursuits. I highly recommend this book, and of Schall's other works.
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