002 - I The Pan-Psychism of Samuel Butler 1

Dive into the intriguing world of Idealism, a philosophy revitalized in eighteenth-century Europe by George Berkeley, which boldly challenges materialism by asserting that Reality is a construct of the Mind. Once thriving under the guidance of thinkers like Hegel, Fichte, Schopenhauer, and Schelling, Idealism waned in influence as the nineteenth century drew to a close. Yet, the remarkable May Sinclair—an author known for her thought-provoking novels and service in the World War I ambulance corps—emerged as an unexpected champion of this philosophical tradition, seeking to reinvigorate it for the modern age. In this compelling treatise, she attempts to blend Idealistic Monism with the New Realism championed by Bertrand Russell and his mathematically inclined philosophy. The success of her endeavor is left to the readers interpretation, but this volume, along with its sequel (The New Idealism), offers captivating insights into Sinclairs mind, shedding light on this significant author as she navigated the tumultuous landscape of the Great War. - Summary by Expatriate