Sherlock Holmes and philosophy

Josef Steiff

This entertaining collection of essays shows that Sherlock Holmes sees things others don't. He sees the world in a different way, and by so doing, allows us to see that same world - and human behaviour - in new ways as well. Is Holmes simply eccentric or a sociopath? Is he human or something from beyond? And is he as dangerous on the page as he is in person? Contributors explore the source of Holmes' faculty of observation and facility for deduction: Is it systematic training (as Watson surmises), genetics, or is he just really lucky? Other essays question whether logic is compatible with emotions, and investigate the nature of the friendship between Holmes and Watson. Are they truly friends or is it simply a way to disguise another level of secrecy and deception?