Uncollected Writings: Writing on Political Philosophy

Richard Wollheim (1923-2003)Âis best known as a path-breaking philosopher of art and of mind, but his work on political philosophy is a major third strand of his writing. This volume of previously uncollected papers ranges over a number of topics, but several themes recur: a concern for the workings of democracy; a robust defence of individual liberty; great respect for individuality and individual differences and the vital roles of education and culture. There are also studies of the thought of John Stuart Mill, Bertrand Russell, and Isaiah Berlin. Wollheim’s distinctive voice is a constant: wit, verve, sophistication, erudition, and subtlety. The originality and penetration of his thinking is apparent throughout. He is always to be seen thinking things through for himself, often in reaction to the great philosophers, sometimes (though relatively rarely) with the assistance of contemporaries, but always with the determination of getting to the bottom of things, with a distinctive approach that remains full of fresh insights.