Overview

The stunning debut of Jonathan Rée, the Simon Schama of philosophy. ‘I See A Voice is a joy to read: bold, crisp in style, effortlessly erudite, slyly humorous, passionate and humane.’ Roy Porter, Independent ‘Rée writes with such clarity and elegance that his prose is a pleasure to read. His exploration of the world of the deaf demonstrates that their tragic deprivation of one sense illumines our understanding of the others. His study of sign language gives us unparalleled insight into the nature of spoken language… this book is not only a fascinating history of the belated correction of our misperceptions of the deaf, but a demonstration that philosophy really can advance our understanding of the world and ourselves.’ Anthony Storr, Literary Review ‘Some philosophers take difficulty and try to make it simple, but Rée takes what is apparently mundane and undeniably everyday and makes it hard and wonderful. Reading his book, I had to sit at a table, with a pen and notebook, jotting down things I had never thought about before – asking myself how it was that I had lived with this commonsense all my life, yet never been in possession of its meanings… Rée treats philosophy the way Adam Phillips treats psychoanalysis: he scrutinises the everyday and the commonplace and charges them with significance. Psychoanalysis and the writings of Freud flood into his text, along with the poetry of Wordsworth, the writings of Proust, his own poignant memories of things past. The melancholy richness of his writing soaks up the culture of the late twentieth century: its emphasis on subjectivity and uncertainity; its sense of the individual; its receptivity to other forms; its confessionalism and belief in self scrutiny… in his passionate, fascinating philosophical history of language, deafness and the senses.’ Nicci Gerrard, Observer

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9780006550587

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Reviews

With an exhaustingly researched exploration of the history of deafness as its core, this muddled volume seems to deplore the importance Western philosophy has given to the five senses over the centuries and tries to point another way. Author Ree (philosophy/Univ. of Middlesex; literary editor, Radical Philosophy) examines the historical squabbles, from Socrates to Derrida, over which of the senses is more virtuous and valuable. Ree characterizes these arguments as rather inane, arguing ultimately that it is not through the individual senses that our worlds are constructed, but through the whole of a person's experience. Looking at the obverse of one sense (in this case, deafness), Ree postulates, will teach us about how the absence of hearing, for instance, might affect the experience and development of a human being. From the days of the Greeks and Romans and before, deaf persons were often considered mentally defective. That conceit lasted until the middle of the 16th century, when a Spanish monk taught two young deaf aristocrats to read, write, and speak as well as lip-read. Advances were also being made in France and England, where the still-active argument between sign language and lip-reading and speech took root. Ree crosses the Atlantic, reporting advances in teaching and tools to help the deaf communicate, as well as studies in linguistics indicating that sign language is as rich and complex as any other language. In a concluding section, ee ruminates on how the five senses continue to be seen as channels to experience, and how philosophers might strive to shed metaphysical notions and subscribe to phenomenology - describing the world as it is, and from there ascribing meaning to it. Some interesting historical background for students and teachers concerned with the deaf in society; the rest is best left to Prof. Ree's philosophy class, where they can question him directly about what he is trying to say. (Kirkus Reviews)

Teacher of philosophy Ree's latest publication is an extraordinarily in-depth exploration of the human voice. Divided into three major sections, the book escorts the reader on a lively journey of discovery, encompassing shorthand and phonetics, colour music and voice machines, talking parrots, silent films and more. It also traces the painful history of deaf education and awareness. This varied and challenging volume is a truly fascinating read. (Kirkus UK)

Author Information

Jonathan Rée teaches philosophy at the University of Middlesex. As well as reviewing for the Guardian and Financial Times, he is the literary editor of the journal Radical Philosophy and co-editor of the Concise Encyclopedia of Western Philosophy and Philosophers (1991). His other books include Philosophical Tales (1987), Proletarian Philosophers (1984), Philosophy and its Past (1978) and Descartes (1974).

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