Patrick Geddes's Intellectual Origins - by Murdo MacDonald (Paperback)

About the Book

This book situates Patrick Geddes within his own intellectual background (described by George Davie as 'the democratic intellect') and explores the relevance of that background to Geddes's substantial national and international achievements across a truly impressive range of disciplines.

Book Synopsis

Patrick Geddes is one of Scotland's most remarkable thinkers of the late-nineteenth century. His environmental and cultural message endures today, yet the distinctively Scottish context to his thinking has not been properly acknowledged. This book situates Geddes within his own intellectual background (described by George Davie as 'the democratic intellect') and explores the relevance of that background to Geddes's substantial national and international achievements across a truly impressive range of disciplines.
Key Features:
Explores Patrick Geddes Scottish intellectual background in depth for the first time;
Highlights Geddes's insistence on the importance of arts to sciences and vice versa, and the distinctively Scottish context of this approach;
Considers the interdisciplinary achievements of Geddes in Edinburgh, Dundee, Paris, London and India;
Pays particular attention to his leadership of the Celtic Revival both from a Scottish perspective and with respect to international links, in particular with Indian cultural revivalists such as Ananda Coomaraswamy.

From the Back Cover

The intellectual background and cultural legacy of Patrick Geddes Patrick Geddes is one of Scotland's most remarkable thinkers of the late 19th- and early 20th-century. His environmental and cultural message endures today, but until now the Scottish context to his thinking has not been properly acknowledged. This book changes that, situating Geddes within a distinctly Scottish intellectual background, and exploring his substantial national and international advocacy of art, architecture, ecology, literature, planning, geography and Celtic studies. Key Features  Explores Patrick Geddes's Scottish intellectual background in depth for the first time, drawing on George Davie's notion of the democratic intellect  Highlights his insistence on the interdisciplinary importance of arts and sciences  Considers his achievements from his pioneering work in Edinburgh and Dundee and his leadership of the Celtic revival, to his influence in Paris, London and India Murdo Macdonald is Emeritus Professor of History of Scottish Art at the University of Dundee. He was appointed an honorary member of the Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture in 2009 and an honorary fellow of the Association for Scottish Literary Studies in 2016.

Review Quotes

...stresses Geddes's internationalism; with other early 20th-century thinkers he shared an intellectual project of cultural nationalism as a basis for cooperation.--Clarisse Godard Desmarest "Cercles: Revue pluridisciplinaire du monde anglophone"

A brilliant introduction to Geddes and his world.--James Robertson "Best Scottish Books 2020"

Patrick Geddes, nearly 90 years after his death, does indeed speak to us now with urgency and, as importantly, with hope... Macdonald's study could hardly be improved on as a starting-point for further exploration of Geddes's multi-channelled mind. It draws together a mass of interconnected information about him and his associates, creating a fascinating and in places rather beautiful web.--James Robertson "Scottish Review"

Superb and scholarly.--R. J. Morris "The Drouth"

Superb new study of Geddes. Very well researched, drawing on new material as well as earlier work. Detailed notes will be extremely useful to other researchers. And written in a clear accessible style - unlike some academic books. Strongly recommended whatever aspect of Geddes's work is of most interest - biology, ecology, town planning, environmental improvement, cultural renewal, university education.-- "Amazon.co.uk"

The book is well-written and scholarly, without being abstractly theoretical. The influence of Geddes radiated in multiple disciplinary directions, and he motivated his co-workers and students alike to push back the boundaries of contemporary thinking in ways that we are still discovering [...] I thought that I knew about the life of Patrick Geddes, but I discovered in this book some lovely anecdotes that illustrate his personality quirks and his almost casual genius. I have only ever found a few biographies that actually leave the reader with a wish to befriend the subject, but this book is different. This book should be read as much for its insights into turn-of-the-century Scottish society as for the biography, and I am left wishing that I had been acquainted with Patrick Geddes.--Frank Rennie "Scottish Geographical Journal"

The fine new book, Patrick Geddes's Intellectual Origins... stresses Geddes's interdisciplinary approach to knowledge.--Ramachandra Guha "The Telegraph (Kolkata)"

This definitive account illuminates Geddes the man, the thinker and the activist. Murdo Macdonald deals with the remarkable range of Geddes's ideas - in science, ecology, culture, history, town planning, and education. Professor Macdonald's own breadth and depth of scholarship is admirably matched to the richness of his subject.-- "Lindsay Paterson, University of Edinburgh"

About the Author

Murdo Macdonald is Emeritus Professor of History of Scottish Art at the University of Dundee. He was editor of Edinburgh Review from 1990-1994. He is author of Scottish Art in Thames and Hudson's World of Art series.