The next book we are going to read is A Revolution of the Mind by
Jonathan Israel.


We will be meeting to discuss this at 7pm, usual venue (Candid Arts Cafe)
on the 18th January.

Over the last decade Israel has produced a massive three volume history of the Enlightenment which has been met with much acclaim and controversy. Broadly Israel makes the case that there was not one Enlightenment but two - a radical Enlightenment (atheist, advancing the cause of freedom of expression, democracy, separation of church and state etc) and a moderate Enlightenment (reformist, deist, relatively uncritical of existing powers etc). Israel's work focuses on tracing this distinction and defends the former, radical Enlightenment, against both
the moderate Enlightenment and its more contemporary critics (post-modernists etc). A Revolution of the Mind is a shorter work, written between the second and third volumes of Israels broader history. Produced for a general audience it summarises his main arguments.