The Function of Reason

By: Alfred North Whitehead

Narrated by: Ray Childs

Whitehead presented these three lectures at Princeton University in 1929. Although 85 years have passed, his central thesis and his analysis remain remarkably current. The scientific materialism that Whitehead opposed with such vigor continues to dominate in academic circles, and even now those who question that worldview are often accused of being antiscientific. This is especially true in discussions of the nature of the human mind and its relation to the body (particularly the brain).

It is hard to find a contemporary thinker with a better perspective on the nature and role of natural science than Whitehead, who, with Bertrand Russell, published Principia Mathematica in 1910; who taught logic and mathematics at Trinity College of Cambridge University; who taught philosophy of science at University College London; and who was a professor of philosophy at Harvard University beginning in 1924. Whitehead's cosmology is far from antiscientific, but he does explain why scientific method and technological practice alone are not able to provide a comprehensive understanding of the full range of human thought and experience. This work explains what we must do to achieve such a comprehensive understanding.

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Chapters in book do not correspond to the audio

How difficult is it to make the written chapters correspond to those in the Audible narrative? Chapter 2 begins with 2 minutes remaining in chapter 1 and Chapter 3 starts in the middle of chapter 2. This, along with often abominable narration, is an annoyingly common experience in Audible productions.

Good

The overall flow and cohesiveness of the narration: flawless. The tone and rythm match the structure. The voice seems to match the period and persona. Although I don't know if Whitehead had such an American accent, I would like to listen to more of Whitehead's works with this narrator. Get on it Audible.

Fantastic

One of the few “free” listens to get excited about. These lectures are both relevant an important today.

Nice book we need more like it

I hope that more books like this become available. I didn't give this a 5 star because I largely disagree with the points made in the book. The ideas were clearly stated and for the most part interesting though which is why I gave it a 4 stars.

Very dense. Prepare to utilize the back-30 button

The topic is interesting, the content is challenging . Not a casual read.
Narration was excellent