DDC 190-199: Go west, young philosopher

A Teach Me How To Dewey production

This Is How We Dewey:

  • 190 Modern Western philosophy
  • 191 Modern Western philosophy of the United States and Canada
  • 192 Modern Western philosophy of the British Isles
  • 193 Modern Western philosophy of Germany and Austria
  • 194 Modern Western philosophy of France
  • 195 Modern Western philosophy of Italy
  • 196 Modern Western philosophy of Spain and Portugal
  • 197 Modern Western philosophy of the former Soviet Union
  • 198 Modern Western philosophy of Scandinavia
  • 199 Modern Western philosophy in other geographic areas

As we round the final bend of the 100s Tributary (of the Dewey River in the United States of Libraries), let’s take a moment to enjoy the scenery of this particular ecosystem of knowledge we’ve paddled through in the last ten posts. We’ve had our minds blown by huge universal ideas and by the paradox of formerly infinity; we’ve given a new (and probably better) definition of physiognomy and sat on Freud’s couch; and above all we’ve learned that there is so much to learn.

When we’re dealing with trying to capture and organize the sum of human knowledge, I’d say that’s a logical and humbling lesson to let sink in as we venture further into the Deweybyss. Or, to put it as one of the Dew3 picks does, let us move forward with fear and trembling as we get ready to tackle one of the two topics traditionally off-limits at Thanksgiving dinner: religion (the other being politics – we’re coming for you, 320s).

For now, though, let us enjoy the relative tranquility provided by the civil and introspective discussions of the 190s.

The Dew3:

The Book of Dead Philosophers
By Simon Critchley
Dewey: 190
Random Sentence: “He was, in G.K. Chesterton’s words, ‘a huge bull of a man, fat and slow and quiet.’”

Fear and Trembling: And, the Sickness Unto Death
By Soren Kierkegaard
Dewey: 198.9
Random Sentence: “Is this utterance publici juris, or is it a privatissimum?”

Talking With Sartre: Conversations and Debates
By John Gerassi
Dewey: 194
Random Sentence: “Ah, concrete situations!”

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