Philosophy of Writing

Read this book and you’ll never think of freshman composition in the same way again … A bracing, philosophically rich argument for writing well as a personal journey and a social good. * Kirkus Reviews *“One should use common words to say uncommon things.” That line from Schopenhauer precisely describes David Arndt’s project in his wonderful new book, Philosophy of Writing, which will teach you how to write and show you why writing matters. Both very clear and very sophisticated, it’s a short, deep, and beautiful. * Mark Edmondson, author of Why Write? (Bloomsbury, 2016), and Professor of English at the University of Virginia, USA *For students, researchers, young writers and educators alike, David Arndt’s book offers a compelling vision of what writing can be at its highest level: not just a means of communication, but a path to wisdom, into Mystery beyond Philosophy. * Antonio Cardiello, Researcher at the Nova Institute of Philosophy, New University of Lisbon, Portugal *Reading this book is like finding an oasis in the desert: nourishing, joyful, and refreshing. Philosophy of Writing is also provocative – David Arndt sees writing as an act of thinking with the power to direct our attention towards higher goals: “The best writing is not primarily aimed at an audience but at truth.” With a calming presence so rare in our time I had ceased to believe in it, he reminds us how this essential truth governs the art of using language. The elegant concision of Arndt’s quotable prose means that his sentences linger in the mind as fondly as a friend. This luminous and crucial book deserves many readers, from teachers to poets. * is Katie Peterson, Professor of English at UC Davis, CA, USA, and author of Fog and Smoke (2024) *

David Arndt is Visiting Associate Professor of Liberal Arts at Saint Mary’s College of California, USA.