Summary of Peperzak’s Introduction

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Summary of Peperzak’s Introduction

Adrian Peperzak’s book is entitled “Thinking: From Solitude to Dialogue and Contemplation”. From the title alone, readers can already envision the flow of his book. However, in his introduction, it is more apparent how he will go about to present the transition or movement of philosophy from the individual to communal.

In order to prove his belief, he will address relevant issues that are realized in the sphere of philosophy. He first tackles the exclusivity of philosophy. He rejects the notion that only “from a philosophical perspective” can an individual fathom “philosophical thought”. If such a notion does exist and is true then it cancels out the possibility of a greater or more advanced level of understanding other than philosophy. After these two illuminations, he then transitions to metaphilosophical concerns like the process of philosophizing. The readers are presented with questions relating to the different aspects of an individual’s life that can influence their thoughts, on the continuation of philosophy from one generation to the next, on the philosopher’s skill set, and on debacles that have occurred in the world of philosophy.

Another concern of Peperzak’s is the “speaking” facet of philosophy. We see the transition “from solitude to dialogue”. He stresses the significant role of “speaking” in philosophy, that without which the continuation and development of philosophy would not be possible. It is the “speaking” element that gives birth to questions that will allow philosophers and non-philosophers to explore areas of philosophy. These philosophical questions enable the discipline for growth and expansion. “Speaking” is responsible for the survival of philosophy through the millenniums, from the philosophy in Plato’s days down to today’s modern philosophy.

Finally, Peperzak concerns himself with the nature of philosophy with respect to the other areas in an individual’s life like “morality, love, art, faith, theology”. This would be the “contemplation” part of the book. As humans, we all have what is called “desideratum”, “something that is needed or wanted”, something that we believe to be very valuable to us. Consequently, our life is directed towards that desideratum in order to achieve it. However, with several aspects of human life, it is likely that two or more will clash. For example, religion and philosophy. The question now is can there be a clear separation between philosophy and the various aspects of life?