A Short History of Western Philosophy

First published in English in 1976, Hirschberger’s A Short History of Western Philosophy is a condensed history of philosophy from the Pre-Socratics through to the 1960s. This new edition follows the division of the original text into four parts: Ancient Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy, Modern Philosophy (17th and 18th century), and 19th and 20th century Philosophy. The new version contains a new preface and introduction, and a new fifth part on Analytical Philosophy in the 19th and 20th century period by the editor Clare Hay. Hirschberger writes from a moral/theological perspective and dismisses Analytical Philosophy as failing to cast light on the human condition. Clare Hay helps the reader to further analyse Hirschberger’s writings and highlights the importance of Analytical Philosophy as the starting point for the development of computing and artificial intelligence. Artificial Intelligence has opened new lines of thought and raised new moral questions still to be discussed in this so-called non-ideological age.