The Philosophy of Auguste Comte

The Philosophy of Auguste Comte

Fifty years have now elapsed since Auguste Comtes monumental work, the Cours de Philosophie Positive, was first introduced to English readers by Miss Harriet Martineau. But her work was much more than a translation. It was a condensed exposition of Comtes doctrines, done with such mastery that it obtained the emphatic approval of Comte himself who, in such matters, was not very easily satisfied. In Harriet Martineaus case, both the substance of the book and the English form in which it was offered to the public, were her work. In the case of the present volume, while a woman is once more responsible for the translation, the substance of the book, that is the comprehensive exposition of Comtes system in the light of all his published works, is from the pen of Professor Lvy-Bruhl, and readers who are acquainted with Harriet Martineaus book will be all the more in a position to appreciate the importance of this fresh contribution to the elucidation of the thought of Auguste Comte. We fear that the clearness of style, the richness of expression, the power of condensed thought which characterise our author will be found to have been often weakened, if not sometimes altogether obliterated, in this translation. The striking simplicity of the text at first deceived me into the belief that I could do justice to it. I was often tempted to sacrifice the literal sense in order to preserve some of the graces of the original. Yet I hope to be forgiven for having uniformly preferred to err through too much faithfulness to the letter. My sole object has been to enable the English reader to get at the meaning of the text. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 56517
Author: Lévy-Bruhl, Lucien
Release Date: Feb 7, 2018
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Translator: Klein, Kathleen Mary de Beaumont, 1876-