Rebels of the Mind: Nikhil Krishnan's Lively History of 20th-Century Oxford Philosophy

Nikhil Krishnan's book "Rebellen des Geistes: Oxford, die Philosophie und eine Revolution des Denkens" (Rebels of the Mind: Oxford, Philosophy, and a Revolution of Thought) offers a vivid, anecdote-filled account of 20th-century analytic philosophy at Oxford. Krishnan, a philosopher at Cambridge, portrays the Oxford scene as a Socratic tradition of rigorous questioning, embodied by figures like Gilbert Ryle, J.L. Austin, and A.J. Ayer. The book contrasts Oxford's emphasis on language and logic with continental philosophy's focus on phenomenology, existentialism, and structuralism. Krishnan highlights the unique tutorial system, where students wrote weekly essays and faced intense oral exams, and notes that many professors lacked doctorates, as a DPhil was seen as inferior. The work also touches on the influence of Bertrand Russell and Alfred North Whitehead's "Principia Mathematica" and the linguistic turn associated with Ludwig Wittgenstein. However, the reviewer criticizes Krishnan for excessive praise of Oxford's virtues (humility, self-criticism, collegiality) and for neglecting critical distance, arrogance, and intrigue. The book is deemed entertaining but lacking in philosophical depth, as it focuses more on personalities and atmosphere than on detailed analysis of ideas. Published in German translation by Dieter Fuchs, the 426-page hardcover is available from the publisher.