Philosophy Book
Chapter Thirteen: Michel de Montaigne
Brief Biography of Michel de Montaigne: Summary of Ideas, Portrait & Quotes
This webpage contains a brief overview of the recently published book 'Philosophical Sketches'. Below you will find a short Chapter summary on Michel de Montaigne, the book cover and back page text, links to other book chapters, and introduction. You can buy this book online at our Cafepress Philosophy Book Shop (Book Details: 90 pages, 30 full page portraits, 8.5 inches by 11 inches, $19.50 USD)
Hope you find it interesting,
Geoff Haselhurst & Karene Jade Howie
Chapter Thirteen: Michel de Montaigne
Michel de Montaigne was an influential French Renaissance writer. In his main philosophical work, The Essays, unprecedented in its candidness and personal flavor, he takes mankind and especially himself as the object of study. He was a skeptic and a humanist.
Montaigne was born in Périgord, into a rich family, on the family estate Château de Montaigne near Bordeaux (which he inherited in 1568). In 1571 he retired to the Château where in his library he began work on his Essays, first published in 1580.
The book is a collection of a large number of short subjective treatments of various topics. Montaigne's stated goal is to describe man, and especially himself, with utter frankness. He finds the great variety and volatility of human nature to be its most basic features. He describes his own poor memory, his ability to solve problems and mediate conflicts without truly getting emotionally involved, his disdain for man's pursuit of lasting fame, and his attempts to detach himself from worldly things to prepare for death. He writes about his disgust with the religious conflicts of his time, his belief that humans are not able to attain true certainty (skepticism), and even alludes to cultural relativism, all rather modern notions. His long "Apology for Raymond Sebond" contains his famous motto, "What do I know?". ... (see book for more)
Since philosophy is the art which teaches us how to live, and since children need to learn it as much as we do at other ages, why do we not instruct them in it? ... But in truth I know nothing about education except this: that the greatest and the most important difficulty known to human learning seems to lie in that area which treats how to bring up children and how to educate them.
Even on the highest throne in the world, we are still sitting on our ass. (Michel de Montaigne, The Essays)
A lively and concise journey through the central ideas of thirty famous philosophers. From ancient Indian, Greek and Chinese Philosophy to modern Western Philosophy, this book explores the changing foundations of human knowledge and their effect on how we think and live.
Includes full page portraits, brief biographies and selected quotes from some of the greatest minds of human history on the universal subjects of Truth, Reality, Nature, Cosmos, Wisdom, Morality, Mind, Education, Politics, Art, Religion & God.
Written for the lay person, while remaining true to the original ideas, this is an engaging account of the Metaphysical foundations of Philosophy that is both illuminating and thought provoking. (Cover Photograph: Plato & Aristotle - The School of Athens by Raphael)
Philosophy Book
Philosophical Sketches: Chapter Headings & Content Summary
Publisher / Online Bookstore Details
Space and Motion Publications
Online print on demand publishers of books on;
Philosophy, Physics, Metaphysics, Truth, Reality, Evolution, Ecology, Nature, Education, Politics, Fine Art, Erotic Art, Nature, Cosmos, Wisdom, Morality, Mind, Religion & God.
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/books/online-book-publishing.htm
Related Pages: Michel de Montaigne
We also have a nice philosophy web page on Michel de Montaigne;
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Education.htm
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