The Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 20th Century

Fascinating all-encompassing study of many of the world’s most important ideas, inventions and developments of the 20th century. Well written to boot.

This book is an extraordinary achievement. If you can lift it, you should read it. Obviously, it isn’t for everyone, but if you are interested in old fashioned, “high” culture, I think you will be impressed. The coverage of the “hard” sciences is particularly impressive. I will contribute two “palpable” errors. On page 68, the author says “Third, there was the philosophy of Immanuel Kant (1724—1804), who argued that there were limits to reason, that human observations of the world were ‘never neutral, never free of priorly imposed conceptual judgements’, and because of that one could never know that God exists.” Actually, Kant, in the Critique of Practical Reason, claimed that he had proved the existence of God. On page 634 the author says “Just as Kant said there is no pure reason”. Actually, in his famous Critique of Pure Reason, Kant rejected most traditional metaphysics, but argued in favor of what he called “a priori synthetic judgments,” which were “pure”, that is, not empirical, but rational. Otherwise, the book was perfect.

Although a little too leftist in its content and emphasis, this book is overall a great summary of thought (and non-thought, i.e. art) of the 20th century. As might be expected, it's hard to remember all of the details. The subjects I know fairly well (science, math, engineering) are accurately portrayed --- nothing grossly wrong that I recall.

Peter Watson has pulled off a second miracle--essentially completing what he started in his "Ideas: ...From Fire to Freud." "The Modern Mind" has just the right depth for me--not too much and not too little. It seems that no important idea of the 20th century was skipped. The book has the speed of a good novel, and is smart without a hint of pretension. The conversational tone is that of a smart, synthetic, enthusiastic college lecturer. I keep going back to Watson with renewed excitement, and so will you. Fine bibliography suggests further reading. In short: If all first-year college students were given the opportunity to read and discuss this book during Spring semester (after completing its prequel "Ideas:..." during Fall semester)--supplemented perhaps by some primary readings--they'd come away with a really terrific grounding in world history, civilization, philosophy, religion, invention. In short, an education between covers.

Peter Watson has managed to take history, science, philosophy, religion and everyday life, econ and politics and make a cohesive and convincing argument about why we are doing what we are doing today. A complex set of subjects that are wittily and elegantly written about for both the lay reader and the academic. A must read for anyone who enjoys a comprehensive treatment of our world systems with commentary that even-evenhandedly explores myths and predictions regarding human behaviour.

A comprehensive consideration of intellectual activity in the 20th century. Not an easy read but very worthwhile. --David Benson

The reason for my low rating of this book is chiefly one factor: it is too long and too detailed for most readers. The author should have shortened the book by at least 50%, placing most of the details in appendices for the few readers who are interested. Also notable is the frequency of very long cumbersome sentences, some containing long verbose parenthetical expressions. This book is really of interest to academic historians, not to the general public.

This book is for those who think they are intellectauls, aspire to being intellectuals or have proof that they are intellectuals including being told so by one or more of their mentor/gurus. I made a present of a copy to a doctor of education and a University of Chicago graduate. I like it so much that I bought another book by author, Peter Watson called Ideas, etc. and it is also a winner.

I enjoyed this book. It touches on so many things that happened in the last century and I like the way it progressed, sequeing from one event to another. I had to marvel at Peter Watson's erudition but with his easy writing style I found no problem absorbing most of his information. Great book.

Wer Watson hat, braucht eigentlich keine Freunde mehr. Die Mega-Schwarte wird Euer treuer Begleiter der nächsten Wochen und Monaten sein. Am besten also einbunkern und Außenwelt-Kontakt vermeiden. Die größten Ideen des 20. Jahrhunderts werden nochmal nach ihrem Gehalt abgeklopft, was kann es Spannenderes geben? Dazu zählt Watson aber nicht nur Surrealismus, Schönberg, Sartre und Joyce, sondern auch die Relativitätstheorie, die Erfindung von Plastik, den Dopplereffekt, die Chicago School und natürlich die "Chaoplexity" (?). Besonders interessant fand ich seine Skepsis gegenüber den französischen Poststrukturalisten Foucault, Derrida oder Lacan (Kapitel 35). Gewohnt meinungsstark vertritt Watson wie auch schon in Teil I seiner "Ideen"-Serie seine Standpunkte. Einige Ansichten mögen streitbar sein (der wichtigste englischsprachige Lyriker ist für ihn Philip Larkin). Mit Freud geht er hart ins Gericht. Er hält ihn für einen Scharlatan, der heute keiner wissenschaftlichen Prüfung mehr standhalten würde. Psychoanalyse und Marxismus sind für ihn ohnehin nur pseudowissenschaftliche Ideologien, welche die Geisteswissenschaften im Vergleich zu den naturwissenschaftlichen Himmelstürmern zurückgeworfen hätten. Das ist nur eines dieser Schlaglichter, die bei mir hängengeblieben sind und über die ich gerne nachgegrübelt habe. Manche Kapitel sind in der Tat etwas dröge, bei anderen läuft Watson zu Höchstform auf (vor allem, wenn er gegen seinen Lieblingsfeind Freud oder die erwähnten Franz-Philosophen wettert). Nicht zufällig beginnt das Mammutwerk mit der Gegenüberstellung von Psychoanalyse und Plancks Quantentheorie. Dazwischen kommt es zu brillanten Symbiosen, wenn etwa der Wert der Literatur mit Darwin (Memes) erklärt wird: "Great books – Their survival is no accident; their thoughts are the fittest!" Watson vertritt eher konservative Ansichten, die heute rar geworden sind. Vor allem die Kapitel über die Bedeutung eines Kanons (Kapitel 26 "Cracks in the Canon" sowie Kapitel 41 "Cultural Wars") fand ich sehr spannend und nahezu prophetisch geschrieben, wenn man die Konfliktlinien unserer (westlichen) Gegenwart betrachtet. Natürlich kann ein solches enzyklopädisches Unterfangen nicht den Ansprüchen der Vollständigkeit genügen, wie einige pedantische Vorkritiker monierten. Darum ging es meines Erachtens auch gar nicht. Watsons Ziel war es die großen Jahrhundert-Ideen kritisch zu beleuchten, um einen fruchtbaren Dialog zwischen Geistes- und Naturwissenschaftlern zu ermöglichen. Das ist ihm grandios gelungen! In Kombination mit Teil 1 der Ideen-Saga hat man einen grundsoliden Wissensfundus intus, der reichen sollte, um mindestens bis zur 64.000 Euro-Frage zu kommen. So ein Wissenseifer verdient Anerkennung. Hut ab, Mr. Watson!

I was first introduced to this book through my local library.It was so absorbing exciting and interesting to read that I needed to purchased it and I now use it as a reference book For any one that has an enquiring mind it is a must Its attraction is the diverse amount of the subject matter from the discoveries of this century to the origins of the universe The way in which it is written subject by subject allows you to pick it up at any chapter which is like reading a small book each time you pick it up Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 20th Century

Phenomenal book. Interesting perspective and emphasis. Relatively easy read. Recommended.

This is a discovery browsing a public library in a small suburb of a small but civilized city of Adelaide, and after reading so many books of modern history, this one encompass all aspects of human ideas from science, politics, religion, historical events, economics, trivia, literature, poetry, music art and all what makes our lives so interesting and rich. The Western world could not have had a better summarising writer with knowledge, non unsympathetic but not excessively admiring all aspects of our culture. I highly recommend to all.