Gilbert Ryle, Waynflete Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at the University of Oxford from 1945 until 1967, had a decisive influence on contemporary philosophy. His Concept of Mind (1949) not only put a methodological edge in a most readable way to what has become known as Analytical Philosophy, but it also stimulated interest in the philosophy of mind as a pivotal part of philosophy as a whole. A second important influence derives from his reorganization of philosophical studies at Oxford after the war which made it, for several years, one of the liveliest philosophical centres in the world. Ryle's interest covered almost the entire field of philosophy. He also made substantial contributions to the history of philosophy, notably on Plato, Locke, Hume, Husserl and Heidegger. Gilbert Ryle died in October 1976.

The book also includes two tributes to Ryle; one from John Mabbott, a close friend, on Ryle the man, and one from David Gallop, an ex-student, on Ryle the Philosopher. A chapter entitled "Philosophy, Logical Geography and Dilemmas" by Rene Meyer provides a perspective on Ryle's philosophy.

"In this book Ryle exerts all his energy in showing how the problems relating to the abstract philosophic concepts of the past are converted into problems relating to the different uses of various terms in both linguistic and behavioural contexts ... Ryle does very well in dissecting so-called private experiences and showing that much of them are indeed describable in public language terms." Jack Kaminsky, Reviews

In 1964 Rene Meyer studied as a recognized student under Gilbert Ryle at Oxford. He spent his sabbatical in 1972 as a Faculty Visitor at Oxford. He is a former Vice-President of the Philosophical Society of Southern Africa and served as Dean of Arts at the University of South Africa from 1981-88. He has presented and written numerous papers on various aspects of the philosophy of mind.