David Auerbach’s Books of the Year 2022: Philosophy

This is the final list for 2022. There is some seriously important work here, particularly the translation of Hans Blumenberg’s late masterpiece The Readability of the World, which is as mind-expanding as the best of his work. (I believe only Hoehlenausgaenge only remains to be translated of his big books.) Just as much are the two new volumes of Myles Burnyeat’s papers, particularly the third’s extensive treatment of the Republic, in particular the long “Plato on Why Mathematics is Good for the Soul,” which marshals the best explanation I’ve read for just why studying pure, unapplied mathematics was so important to Plato (and why it is still important today). It’s a brilliant essay. And Catherine Wilson’s book is one of the best on Kant I’ve read in some time and is as strong as the rest of her work.