Examination of McTaggart's Philosophy.

Abstract

C.D. Broad's Examination is a tribute to one of the last of the British Idealists, J.M.E. McTaggart (1866-1925). Broad, a contemporary of Russell, Moore and Wittgenstein, succeeded McTaggart as Fellow in Moral Science at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1923 and was his literary executor. At over 1300 pages, this is a detailed exposition of McTaggart's system. Broad gives particular attention to McTaggart's major Nature of Existence and its concept of time. Clarifying McTaggart's position by means of symbolism and occasional diagrams, Broad goes on to provide criticism of his doctrines, followed by independent discussion of the fundamental problems McTaggart tackles. As well as being an incisive commentary on McTaggart, the Examination is also the site of muchj of Broad's most impressive writing and most interesting philosophy. He himself described it as about the best work of which he was capable. The Examination is a balanced judgement of a philosopher whom Broad greatly admired but did not agree with in any way. It should be of interest to those studying McTaggart and Broad, as well as idealism.

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