PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY

Close Notification

Your cart does not contain any items

An Emancipation of the Mind

Radical Philosophy, the War over Slavery, and the Refounding of America

Matthew Stewart

$53.95

Hardback

In stock
Ready to ship

QTY:

English
Norton
22 April 2024
This is a story about a dangerous idea-that all men are created equal-which ignited revolutions in America, France, and Haiti; burst across Europe in the revolutions of 1848; and returned to inflame a new generation of intellectuals to lead the abolition movement.

Frederick Douglass's unusual interest in radical German philosophers and Abraham Lincoln's odd, buried allusions to the same rationalist, secularist, and essentially atheist thinkers are but a few of the clues that underlie this propulsive philosophical detective story. With fresh takes on forgotten thinkers like Theodore Parker (a minister too radical even for the Unitarians, whose work provided some of Lincoln's most famous lines) and a feisty band of German refugees, Matthew Stewart's vivid storytelling and piercing insights forge a significant revision in our understanding of the origins and meaning of the struggle over slavery in America-and offer a fresh perspective on struggles between democracy and elite power today.

By:  
Imprint:   Norton
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 239mm,  Width: 163mm,  Spine: 36mm
Weight:   670g
ISBN:   9781324003625
ISBN 10:   1324003626
Pages:   400
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Matthew Stewart is an independent philosopher and historian who has written extensively about the philosophical origins of the American republic, the history of philosophy, management theory, and the culture of inequality. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review, among other publications. In recent years he has lived in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles, and is currently based in London.

Reviews for An Emancipation of the Mind: Radical Philosophy, the War over Slavery, and the Refounding of America

"""Enthralling, illuminating, and timely. A beautifully written, myth-busting, and eye-opening uncovering of the radical, humanistic roots of America’ best impulses towards justice and equality. A must read for anyone who wants to fully understand not only the abolitionist movement and the nation’s struggle over slavery, but also America’s on-going conflicts related to religion, nationalism, theology, and democracy. By delving into the lives and Enlightenment thinking of Frederick Douglass, Theodore Parker, Abraham Lincoln, and Ottilie Assing, Matthew Stewart shines a much-needed light on some of the most compelling – and yet under-appreciated – emancipatory values that flow through our history and society."" -- Phil Zuckerman, author of Beyond Doubt: The Secularization of Society"


See Also