THE DESTINY OF THE MIND

by William S. Haas ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 26, 1956

This is a scholarly and distinguished analysis -- not to say dissection- of the differences between the mind of the West and East. The author, born and educated in Germany, spent many fruitful years in Iran as Minister of Education. The discussion is maintained on the highest level of philosophy and psychology. It is no mere discussion of differing social institutions. Its purport is to describe the differences in basic structure of thinking. To this end he has evolved ingenious devices and phrases. To the West he assigns the role of reason, to the East of consciousness. The prime functioning of the mind of the West is a duality between subject and objects of the East, the absorption of the Other into the Self. This makes for mobility of forms in the West -- hence the restlessness. The East, concerned with non-essentiality of objects sees change of small value. These distinctions give but an inkling of the superb and illuminating insight into the subtle structure of both Western and Eastern thought. Aside from a Teutonic stiffness of presentation, the chief fault is that the book does not live up to the title. The author gives no hint of the ultimate synthesis or transcendence of the two systems. This is a disappointment, but nonetheless the argument itself is interesting and provocative, for philosophers, scholars, students of civilization to whom Hegel, Nietzsche and Spengler are familiar figures.

Pub Date: June 26, 1956

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1956

Categories: NONFICTION