Self-Consciousness and the Critique of the Subject addresses a topic that, while familiar within the tradition of continental philosophy, is rarely addressed with the focus and clarity found here. Simon Lumsden has his own distinctive way of bringing Hegel to life, with Hegel's views insightfully presented in a readily understandable way in clear prose uncluttered by 'Hegelese.'
Paul Redding, University of Sydney The great strength of Simon Lumsden's analysis is that it straddles a number of different philosophical worlds. Though writing from a largely Hegelian perspective, Lumsden has the audacity to wander about in other fields and consider other figures-that is, to venture outside the confines of his academic territory. Self-Consciousness and the Critique of the Subject is a highly disciplined work. It focuses on the status of the subject in the five philosophers that it analyzes and brings those thinkers into a confrontation with each other in a way that charts a new path for our understanding of German idealism and poststructuralism.
Daniel W. Smith, Purdue University This clearly written and ambitiously set up book does provide a welcome kind of Anstoss to provoke further thought for anyone interested in the relation between German idealism, Heidegger and poststructuralism.
Johan de Jong Hegel-Studien