Patrick Geddes's Intellectual Origins - Paperback

by Murdo MacDonald (Author)

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:

1. Explores Patrick Geddes Scottish intellectual background in depth for the first time;
2. Highlights Geddes's insistence on the importance of arts to sciences and vice versa, and the distinctively Scottish context of this approach;
3. Considers the interdisciplinary achievements of Geddes in Edinburgh, Dundee, Paris, London and India;
4. 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.

Back Jacket

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.

Author Biography

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.