Joan Stambaugh

In many ways this is a great book. I found it a good way to acquaint myself with Japanese philosophy and take a step back from the usual Western fare. Intellectually it was very refreshing, and in raw physical terms it (the hardback) is wonderful too.

The main drawback in my view is that Stambaugh makes a couple of allowances on the one hand, such as the primitive notion that everything is alive, but on the other hand makes a couple of rashly sweeping rejections, e.g. of "metaphysics" full stop.

Another drawback is that the text is largely regurgitation. That is not an inherently bad thing, but the book is thin on explanation as to how the Japanese philosophy speaks to us and our situation. This leaves one with the impression that the author hasn't made clear to herself exactly what she's relaying.

Overall, though, I would nonetheless strongly recommend The Formless Self to any student of philosophy.… (more)