Binding William Hazlitt’s 'An Essay on the Principles of Human Action…'
Binding William Hazlitt’s 'An Essay on the Principles of Human Action…'
bookbinding a notebooking copy
So then…
A few months ago I made a 2up imposition and printed out, the PDF I found on the internet archive of William Hazlitt’s An Essay on the Principles of Human Action: Being an Argument in Favour Of The Natural Disinterestedness of the Human Mind, to Which Are Added, Some Remarks on the Systems of Hartley And Helvetius.
It’s from a bad scan google made of a copy in the Lennox Library in New York, so I tipped-in some pages that were the worst not-scanned-properly, by using the gutenberg.org resource The Collected works of William Hazlitt In twelve volumes Volume seven. Then I formed the text block by sewing the signatures together and over 2 cloth tape (weeks ago) and a couple of days ago bound it very sloppily, at home with few trade tools to hand (no book press, lying press, etc etc).
I wonder how many phyrsical copies of this book exist now in Tasmania.
Thing is— even though it is a poorly hand-bound hardcover it will outlast a lot of “hardcover” produced with POD tech: case-wrapped perfect bindings which are about 0.01% better than the honest crappy paperback versions, as they are exactly the same construction, differing only in a 20c more expensive cover for which they charge $200 more dollars. ( I’ve also noticed that academic publishers charge the same for paperbacks & the electronic versions…. when is a book not a book?),
I did this because I wanted to read it, and I have some bookbinding skills to improve. I think they were not improved but my make-do and make it work attitude made up for this. Even thoughit is not pretty, it is not schmick, it could live for centuries.
By “read it” I mean write notes on it, which I am currently doing. There is one sentence on the first page that will explode into several blog posts…
My next binding project is a goodly number of short essays and journal articles on Pyrrhonism that I have printed into booklets, and each will act as section in a bound hardcover. I’ve already written on some of these articles… saves on writing quotes out from them in my notebook, make the book, then make the book you have made the notebook. One just needs big margins.
I could print out bits from the Gutenberg project resouce and glue them down scrapbook style, but this seems more coherent.
Wondering what the essay is about? —here is an AI generated summary
William Hazlitt's "An Essay on the Principles of Human Action" (1805) takes on the complex question of what motivates human behavior. In contrast to prevailing theories that emphasized self-interest or pleasure-seeking, Hazlitt argues for the inherent disinterestedness of the human mind. He presents this as a radical departure from traditional philosophical thought, emphasizing the role of sympathy, curiosity, and the pursuit of knowledge in driving human actions.
Key arguments:
Natural Disinterestedness: Hazlitt asserts that humans by nature possess a capacity for empathy and concern for others, independent of personal gain. He criticizes utilitarianism and its emphasis on self-interest, arguing that human motivations are often more complex and altruistic.
Sympathy and Imagination: He identifies sympathy as a crucial mechanism for understanding and responding to the experiences of others. This innate drive, fueled by imagination, allows us to step outside ourselves and connect with the joys and sorrows of others.
Curiosity and the Pursuit of Knowledge: Beyond self-preservation and pleasure, Hazlitt posits an intrinsic human desire for knowledge, understanding, and exploration. This intellectual yearning motivates us to engage with the world, learn new things, and pursue self-improvement.
Role of Reason and Emotion: While recognizing the importance of reason in guiding our actions, Hazlitt also acknowledges the role of emotion and passion. He sees a balanced interplay between these elements as necessary for navigating the complexities of human experience.
Criticisms:
Abstractness: Some critique Hazlitt's essay for lacking empirical evidence and relying heavily on theoretical arguments.
Idealistic View of Human Nature: Others argue that his portrayal of natural disinterestedness is overly optimistic and fails to account for the prevalence of self-interest in human behavior.
Overall Significance:
Despite its limitations, "An Essay on the Principles of Human Action" remains a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about human motivation. Hazlitt's emphasis on empathy, curiosity, and the pursuit of knowledge offers a refreshingly optimistic perspective on human nature, encouraging us to look beyond self-interest and recognize the complex web of emotions and aspirations that drive our actions.
I hope this summary provides a helpful overview of Hazlitt's key arguments and the significance of his work. If you have any further questions or would like me to delve deeper into specific aspects of the essay, please feel free to ask!