John Macmurray and the form of the personal

John Macmurray offers philosophy a disruptive thesis that presents a challenge to the dominance of Cartesian dualism and scientific knowledge. Macmurray proposes that reason is practical and for the substitution of the ‘I do’ for the ‘I think’ to resolve the inherent dilemmas in the history of western philosophy. However, the dominance of analytic philosophy and logical positivism during Macmurray’s lifetime may have created places to label his thesis as eclectic and incomprehensive. Indeed it might be possible for some to argue his philosophy is nothing more than an aberration to a homogenous philosophical pedagogy. Nonetheless, Macmurray’s appointments to distinguished professorial positions; his popularity with the general public, his invitations to lecture in Africa, North America and his delivery of the Gifford lectures in 1953-54 suggests caution to such a dismissive approach.