2023 is starting philosophically

Popped up the avenue to see Sean when I got back to Cardiff on Friday night. The conversation turned to philosphers and philosophy for some reason. We both fondly remembered Bryan Magee's 70s and 80s BBC 2 series. Noting that they "attracted a steady one million viewers per show", The Daily Telegraph hailed the series, for achieving "the near-impossible feat of presenting to a mass audience recondite issues of philosophy without compromising intellectual integrity or losing ratings." All these years later we both fiondy remembered the faux modesty of the episode that began:

Schopenhauer is first and foremost a system builder whose philosophy can be understood only as a whole. Of the books in print about it in English at the time of making this program i have to confess to you that the longest and most recent is by me, but I can't very well interview myself so I've invited the author of one of the others to come along and discuss Schopenhauer with me. My guest is in any case the most distinguished living historian of philosophy in the English language, Frederick Copleston emeritus professor in the university of London. In addition to his extended treatment of Schopenhauer in his nine volume history of philosophy, he's written a separate book about him called Arthur Schopenhauer; Philosopher of Pessimism.

Unimprovable blowing of his own trumpet.

Kierkegaard has been recommended by Dr Burke. I think I may start with "Fear and Trembling;" the knight of faith, the knight of infinite resignation, and the tragic hero. That sounds like a barrel of laughs.