About this ebook
Roger Scruton is Britain's best known intellectual dissident, who has defended English traditions and English identity against an official culture of denigration.
Although his writings on philosophical aesthetics have shown him to be a leading authority in the field, his defence of political conservatism has marked him out in academic circles as public enemy number one.
Whether it is Scruton's opinions that get up the nose of his critics, or the wit and erudition with which he expresses them, there is no doubt that their noses are vastly distended by his presence, and constantly on the verge of a collective sneeze.
Contrary to orthodox opinion, however, Roger Scruton is a human being, and Gentle Regrets contains the proof of it - a quiet, witty but also serious and moving account of the ways in which life brought him to think what he thinks, and to be what he is. His moving vignettes of his childhood and later influences illuminate this book.
Love him or hate him, he will engage you in an argument that is both intellectually stimulating and informed by humour.
Although his writings on philosophical aesthetics have shown him to be a leading authority in the field, his defence of political conservatism has marked him out in academic circles as public enemy number one.
Whether it is Scruton's opinions that get up the nose of his critics, or the wit and erudition with which he expresses them, there is no doubt that their noses are vastly distended by his presence, and constantly on the verge of a collective sneeze.
Contrary to orthodox opinion, however, Roger Scruton is a human being, and Gentle Regrets contains the proof of it - a quiet, witty but also serious and moving account of the ways in which life brought him to think what he thinks, and to be what he is. His moving vignettes of his childhood and later influences illuminate this book.
Love him or hate him, he will engage you in an argument that is both intellectually stimulating and informed by humour.
About the author
Roger Scruton was born on 27 February 1944, and was raised in Marlow and High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire with his two sisters. He was educated at Royal Grammar School High Wycombe, from which he was expelled shortly after winning a scholarship to Cambridge. He studied moral sciences at Jesus College from 1962, receiving a BA in 1965, incepted as MA in 1967. He was awarded a PhD in 1972 for a thesis on aesthetics, also from Cambridge.
After graduating, Scruton spent two years abroad before pursuing an academic career in philosophy, first in Cambridge and then in London. In 1990, he took a year's leave of absence to work for an educational charity in Czechoslovakia.
He then taught part-time at Boston University Massachusetts until the end of 1994, while building up a public affairs consultancy in Eastern Europe. He currently holds three positions: visiting professor at Oxford University; visiting professor in the School of Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington DC.
After graduating, Scruton spent two years abroad before pursuing an academic career in philosophy, first in Cambridge and then in London. In 1990, he took a year's leave of absence to work for an educational charity in Czechoslovakia.
He then taught part-time at Boston University Massachusetts until the end of 1994, while building up a public affairs consultancy in Eastern Europe. He currently holds three positions: visiting professor at Oxford University; visiting professor in the School of Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington DC.
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