A recent article on Frederick Copleston, SJ tickled my neurons about admiration for this historian of philosophy…

I first came across Copleston during my studies of Schopenhauer, in a rather indirect way. Reading the obituary of philosophy popularizer Bryan Magee in the newspaper lead me to read Magee’s memoir, in which he describes Copleston appearing on his BBC program and discussing Schopenhauer with the familiarity and love that one would have for a somewhat disreputable schoolmate. (Both had written books on Schopenhauer, namely Magee’s Philosophy of Schopenauer and Copleston’s Schopenauer: Philosopher of Pessmism), which relates to my own interest in old Schoppy

I’m inclined to purchase his 11-volume History of Philosophy for my archives.

Copleston’s Memoirs are an easy read, with a few amusing anecdotes and reflections on a changing world, but as one would expect for a prolific scholar, nothing too wild occurs.