J.M.E. McTaggart: Substance, Self, and Immortality

J.M.E. McTaggart seeks to critically expound and appraise the British philosopher’s thought with respect to three principal themes of his philosophy: substance, self, and immortality. Ramesh Kumar Sharma guides the reader through the labyrinths of McTaggart’s intricate arguments and defends many of McTaggart’s highly unorthodox doctrines and conclusions. While doing this, Sharma draws on the works of, among others, Berkeley, Hegel, and Leibniz, and at the same time attacks numerous modern-day physicalist theories that propound mind-brain identity as against the presumed reality of the self and consciousness. This work is thus recommended both for philosophers and researchers interested in: (1) such perennial metaphysical subjects as reality, existence, possibility, the basic ontological categories of substance, qualities, and relations (universals); (2) the question of the reality of the self; (3) McTaggart’s overall vision of the universe or Absolute, and his rejection of the more or less predominant view that the Absolute is God; (4) McTaggart’s unique doctrine, after Plato, of the immortality of the self combined with (the self ’s) pre-existence, post-existence, and plurality of lives; and (5) his extraordinary, but important, views on perception.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Reality and Existence Chapter 3 Substance and Characteristics Chapter 4 The Nature of Substance: Some Key Doctrines Chapter 5 Matter and Sensa: Their Perspective Claims To Reality (Substancehood) Chapter 6 The Case of Spirit: McTaggart’s Idealism Chapter 7 Reality of the Self: Empirical Considerations Chapter 8 Selves and the Absolute Chapter 9 The Absolute, (Self), and God Chapter 10 The Self and Immortality Chapter 11 Pre-Existence, (Post-Existence), and Plurality of Lives Chapter 12 Perception Chapter 13 Afterword

About the Author :
Ramesh Kumar Sharma is emeritus fellow in the Department of Philosophy, University of Delhi.

Review :
This well-presented and diligently-researched book provides a closely written, in-depth analysis of the work of the last great British idealist, John McTaggart Ellis McTaggart. . . Sharma brings a refreshingly balanced and objective analysis to McTaggart’s philosophy; in doing so, he provides a thorough resource that will encourage others to look at McTaggart afresh and see him as a philosopher worthy of the closest scrutiny in the twenty-first century. This book is a splendid treatment of one of the most important British neoHegelian philosophers. Its very careful exposition of McTaggart is a breath of fresh air, and the fact that it actually defends the man’s grand system of thought adds to its originality and its spice. Like McTaggart’s works themselves, this book is very impressive for its careful defense of views that are today unpopular. In particular it does a first-class job of showing how McTaggart’s unpopular conclusions are reached by employing techniques that are often remarkably close to ones currently used by “analytic” philosophers. An undeniably splendid book. This book is an excellent and lucid analysis of McTaggart’s philosophy, and in particular engages deeply with the arguments on the nature of substance and immortality. Not only is this an important and welcome introduction to McTaggart’s thought, it also reflects the philosophical insight and depth of the author. Must read for anybody interested in these abiding questions of metaphysics.