The Analysis of Mind

The Complete Work Plus an Overview, Summary, Analysis and Author Biography

By: Bertrand Russell, Sofia Pisou

Narrated by: Douglas James

Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

The Analysis of the Mind by Bertrand Russell is a collection of lectures the Nobel-awarded philosopher delivered in the 1920s. These 15 lectures have been hailed as milestones in modern psychology as they explore the relation between mind and matter under a completely new scope. Living in the turbulent years after World War I and having been deeply influenced by realists and behaviorists of the early 20th century, Russell attempts to reconcile the paradoxical materialistic view of contemporary psychologists on mind with the anti-materialistic tendency that physicists adopt over matter. In addition, he examines and clarifies all terms and concepts that have long been used by idealists and psychologists lightly and without explicit definition as those of consciousness, sensation, perception, memory, and belief.

As a mathematician, Russell employs the analytical method and tries to disprove scientifically the existence of consciousness, introspection, and everything that constitutes source of knowledge from "the inside" of human brain. He encourages the view that knowledge is largely the result of external observation, though things are not as simplistic as they appear.

Includes: a brief background of the author and the work; overview, synopsis, and analysis; historical context, criticisms, and social impact; chapter-by-chapter summary; the full narration of the text.

This summary includes a synopsis and analysis of every lecture along with comments and notes on the historical context. It is highly recommended to all who are interested in the field of psychology.

©2014 AudioLearn (P)2014 AudioLearn

amazing book from an amazing thinker.

I'm not sure if it was from the reader or the book itself, but there is a good bit of repetition of clauses, sentences, paragraphs and even of entire lectures.

This wasn't really a big deal, but it will lead you to question yourself as to whether or not you have heard something twice.

Besides that, I enjoyed the reader and the book itself.

One star for production, Five stars for all else

While the narrator is fabulous (I will seek other books by this narrator) and the book itself is an important and fascinating classic, I will be returning this audiobook and buying either a different audio version of it or else a printed version, if no suitable alternate audio version exists. The problem with this otherwise exceptional audiobook is the use of an invasive "musical" device to separate the various sections, of which there are many.

At each section-change, as I'm drifting off to sleep while listening to this wonderfully-read and brilliantly-written book, I am startled by the harsh sound of a percussion-mallet (probably made of plastic or metal) being moved rapidly, in one stroke, across the metal keys of a xylophone or glockenspiel. (Think the "magical" sound you hear in an animated cartoon movie when a fairy appears or a piece of magic is depicted.)

I have a suggestion for the producers of this audiobook to consider: In the future, if it is deemed important to differentiate one section in a book from another, verbally announce the section, rather than produce a "musical" sound. This sound, in my experience (each to his own, I realize), upon repetition, rapidly becomes obnoxious and completely looses any musical value. which it might have initially had, and sounds out of place.