Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology Books

Book SynopsisAn exciting look at contemporary scientific cosmologies and their relationship to philosophy and religion.Trade ReviewRubenstein grounds the current debate on the plurality of universes on solid scholarship, skillfully exploring its historical and philosophical roots. -- Marcelo Gleiser, Dartmouth College This is a work that performs the 'many-oneness' of the multiverse, whose history and potentiality it maps. As she traces the startling philosophical depths, mystical ancestry, and scientific shocks of this cosmic boundlessness, Rubenstein's brilliance sparkles like its innumerable stars. -- Catherine Keller, author of Face of the Deep: A Theology of Becoming Some physicists suggest that our cosmos has been caught in an endless loop, repeatedly cycling between big bangs since time immemorial. In Worlds Without End, Mary-Jane Rubenstein provides a remarkable tour of how such ideas-and competing ideas about whether our universe is embedded within some larger multiverse-have likewise been cycling throughout Western thought for millennia. This deeply learned excavation is a rare accomplishment: a page-turner that asks large questions about science, philosophy, and religion. Fascinating. -- David Kaiser, author of How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and the Quantum Revival We are living through a golden age of cosmology, when observations reveal a universe 13.8 billion years big and new theories and new evidence vie with one another almost on a daily basis. Rubenstein is an expert guide to this dramatic scene. Uncovering humorous comparisons with the past, she shows that our golden age is tarnished in only a few ways. We cannot tell which of the many-worlds hypotheses is the right one, whether they exist under an integrated set of laws, and we may never be able to so. Yet the quest continues and produces many profound insights. Rubenstein shows the way scientific worldviews grow from the kind of questions we ask, how metaphysics and physics are mutually entangled, and how the many worlds of her title emerge, again and again over two thousand years, often in spite of their authors' intentions and taste. A witty and mature view of views. -- Charles Jencks , author of The Garden of Cosmic Speculation A must read for anyone who is interested in the evolution of human thought about the cosmos. The reader is led through the history of philosophical, religious and scientific ideas and arguments for the existence of many worlds then left to contemplate their own ending to the cosmic story. A beautiful and authoritative description of the struggles and developments of competing ideas about nature for the past three millenia -- Laura Mersini-Houghton, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Rubenstein's witty, thought-provoking history of philosophy and physics leaves one in awe of just how close Thomas Aquinas and American physicist Steven Weinberg are in spirit as they seek ultimate answers. Publishers Weekly Wonderful... A fun, mind-stretching read, clear and enlightening. San Francisco Book Review A fascinating and very well-written book... Green Spirit Magazine An excellent starting point for those wishing to go even deeper down the throat of the wormhole. Recommended. CHOICE If one seeks a scholarly account of the main ideas rather than of the detailed science, then Worlds Without End is excellent. Physics TodayTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: How to Avoid the G-Word 1. A Single, Complete Whole 2. Ancient Openings of Multiplicity 3. Navigating the Infinite 4. Measuring the Immeasurable 5. Bangs, Bubbles, and Branes: Atomists Versus Stoics, Take Two 6. Ascending to the Ultimate Multiverse Unendings: On the Entanglement of Science and Religion Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWilliam Desmond sees religion, art, philosophy, and politics as essential and distinctive modes of human practice, manifestations of an intimate universality that illuminates individual and social being. By observing their permeable relations, Desmond captures notes of a clandestine conversation that transforms ontology.Trade ReviewA marvelously articulated work with a consummately refined language of its own for conceiving the perennial issues of philosophy in fresh and compelling terms. -- William Franke, Vanderbilt University and University of Macao Desmond combines the virtues of scope, systematic rigor, and highly individual manner of perception and expression. -- Cyril O'Regan, University of Notre Dame In this excellent and interesting work, Desmond is expanding and refining his already considerable contribution to contemporary continental philosophy in a metaphysical register. -- Christopher Ben Simpson, Lincoln Christian University How can something singular, in all the depths of its singularity, communicate with the universal, with the result that the singular is not contracted to itself and the universal is not a free floating abstraction? William Desmond explores this basic question in all its dimensions in the steady, systematic and meticulous manner we have come to expect from him in this not to be missed new volume. -- John D. Caputo, Emeritus Professor, Syracuse University and Villanova University There is today no more important philosophical project being undertaken than that of William Desmond's poetic, unshirkingly apposite and yet unpretentious attempt to rethink a metaphysics of analogy and mediation. This book represents another chapter in its unfolding. -- John Milbank, University of NottinghamTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: For and Against the Universal-Doing Justice Part I: The Intimate Universal-Exoteric Reflections: Religion 1. Religion and the Intimate Universal: Neither Cosmopolis nor Ghetto 2. Art and the Intimate Universal: Neither Imitation nor Self-Creation 3. Philosophy and the Intimate Universal: Neither Theory nor Practice 4. Politics and the Intimate Universal: Neither Servility nor Sovereignty Part II: The Intimate Universal-Systematic Thoughts: From the Idiotic to the Agapeic 5. The Idiotics of the Intimate Universal 6. The Aesthetics of the Intimate Universal 7. The Erotics of the Intimate Universal 8. The Agapeics of the Intimate Universal Glossary Notes Index

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Book SynopsisDuns Scotus's Doctrine of Categories and Meaningis a key text for the origins of Martin Heidegger's concept of facticity. Originally submitted as a postdoctoral thesis in 1915, it focuses on the 13th-century philosopher-theologian John Duns Scotus. Heidegger first analyzes Scotus's doctrine of categories,then offers a meticulous explanation of theGrammatica Speculativa, a work of medieval grammar now known to be authored by the Modist grammarian Thomas of Erfurt. Taken together, these investigations represent an early foray into Heidegger's lifelong philosophical concerns, the question of being in the guise of the problem of categories and the question of language in the guise of the doctrine of meaning.This new and unique translation of one of Heidegger's earliest works offers an important look at his early thinking before the question of being became his central concern and will appeal to readers exploring Heidegger's philosophical development, medieval philosophy, phenomenological iTrade Review"Heidegger's early engagement with medieval philosophy via neo-Kantian logic foreshadows his later explorations of being, truth, and meaning. He concludes by challenging himself to grapple with "historical spirit." Bagchee and Gower's meticulous translation brings this formative phase of Heidegger's thought to English-speaking readers."—Richard Polt, Xavier University"Heidegger's Habilitationsschrift, submitted to the University of Freiburg in 1915, at the age of twenty-six, takes up themes central to scholastic ontology and logic: the categories of reality and the differentiations of meaning. Quite traditional topics, these are not themes that one might suspect would help open the way to the revolutionary work of 1927, Being and Time. And yet: here one sees the phenomenological gifts already at work in the young Heidegger. Here one finds the early formulations of the hermeneutics of facticity and the first hints of the notion of formal indication – one finds the earliest signs of the revolutionary work to come. Ably translated, this text offers insights into key problems of scholasticism as well as into the genesis of the philosophical revolutionary that Heidegger would soon become."—Dennis Schmidt, Western Sydney University"With this careful and scholarly translation of Heidegger's postdoctoral thesis, Bagchee and Gower have provided an indispensible resource for anyone seeking to understand the trajectory of Heidegger's early thinking. A splendid achievement."—William McNeill, DePaul UniversityTable of ContentsTranslator's PrefaceAcknowledgmentsForeword to the First Edition of Frühe Schriften (1972)Duns Scotus's Doctrine of Categories and Meaning ForewordIntroduction: The Necessity of Examining Scholasticism from the Perspective of the History of ProblemsPart I: The Doctrine of CategoriesFirst Chapter: The Unum: Mathematical, Natural, and Metaphysical RealitySecond Chapter: The Verum: Logical and Psychic RealityThird Chapter: Linguistic Form and Linguistic Content: The Domain of MeaningPart II: The Doctrine of MeaningFirst Chapter: Meaning and Meaning Function: Principles of the Doctrine of MeaningSecond Chapter: The Doctrine of the Forms of MeaningsConclusion: The Problem of CategoriesAuthor's NoticeBibliographical ReferencesEditor's AfterwordEnglish-German GlossaryGerman-English GlossaryIndex of NamesSubject Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Prominent philosopher-scientists, from Abner Shimony to Paul Teller, contribute articles (some revisions of seminal publications) detailing presumptions and ambiguities of quantum measurement, written especially for the nonspecialist. Some highlights include Mermin's powerful (and amusing) 'device' to highlight the 'paradox' of quantum correlations, Linda Wessels' thorough catalog of specific implicit 'axioms' of the discussion, and Cushing's prospective overview. Other gems, including some simplified models of Bell's arguments, and a range of ontological frameworks—from realism to 'holism'—make this an urgently recommended work for all colleges." —Choice"The papers collected here demonstrate how analytic philosophy of science should be done. Quantum mechanics may be mysterious in some of its aspects, but those who wish to peddle mysticism on the basis on quantum theory would do well to stay away from this excellent collection of philosophical essays." —Canadian Philosophical Reviews"These papers, collected from a 1986 conference focusing on John S. Bell's celebrated 1964 theorem, examine the philosophical issues posed by quantum theory. The book introduces Bell's theorem so that readers can understand the papers, but it is not a technical overview of the theorem or of quantum mechanics." —Science News

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Book SynopsisIn Ecological Ethics and the Human Soul: Aquinas, Whitehead, and the Metaphysics of Value, Francisco J. Benzoni addresses the pervasive and destructive view that there is a moral gulf between human beings and other creatures. Thomas Aquinas, whose metaphysics entails such a moral gulf, holds that human beings are ultimately separate from nature. Alfred North Whitehead, in contrast, maintains that human beings are continuous with the rest of nature. These different metaphysical systems demand different ethical stances toward creation.Benzoni analyzes and challenges Thomas''s understanding of the human soul, his primary justification for the moral separation, arguing that it is finally philosophically untenable. The author finds promising the alternative metaphysics of Whitehead, for whom human beings are a part of natureeven if the highest part; all creatures have a degree of subjectivity and creativity, and thus all have intrinsic value and moral worth, independent oTrade Review“Eminently clear in concept and analysis, profound in insight, and precise in reasoning, this book not only contributes a distinguished study of Aquinas but also reshapes contemporary ecological ethics by relating it to basic issues of metaphysics. Both subsequent moral theory attentive to Aquinas and subsequent formulations of ecological ethics will be incomplete without taking account of Benzoni's argument.” —Franklin I. Gamwell, Shailer Mathews Distinguished Service Professor of Religious Ethics, the Philosophy of Religion, and Theology, The University of Chicago Divinity School“In the introduction and conclusion, Francisco Benzoni makes clear the broader significance of this work for the field of ecological ethics and the future well-being of the human species on this earth. One can learn a great deal about the philosophy of both Aquinas and Whitehead in working through these pages.” —Joseph Bracken, Xavier University“Aquinas believes that humans are finally separate from nature and that the former have moral worth and the latter does not; Whitehead believes that all entities exist along a metaphysical spectrum and all creatures have some degree of moral worth. Taking these two positions as a starting point, Benzoni explores such topics as the metaphysical grounding of goodness, the soul as an entity, and intrinsic value and moral worth.” —Research Book News“Benzoni does an admirable job once again in managing to present very challenging and complex material in a clear and accessibly way. Benzoni's focus on the metaphysics of the soul as the primary basis for the bifurcation of humans from non-humans is both interesting and suggestive. His critique of Aquinas should interest anyone concerned with the metaphysics of value and its history, and his sketch of a Whiteheadian alternative will also be helpful to anyone interested in rethinking our place within nature and the general scheme of things.” —Philosophy in Review“Benzoni's excellent and challenging work is a densely argued analysis of the metaphysical foundations of ethical systems, mainly those of Thomas Aquinas and Alfred North Whitehead, with a view to providing an adequate basis for an ethical understanding of the ecological crisis facing the world today. Highly recommended.” —Catholic Books Review“Benzoni’s contribution to environmental ethics is to present a careful analysis of why Thomas Aquinas’ metaphysical theory is wrong, and to propose that of Alfred North Whitehead in its stead. Benzoni’s exposition is valuable in being accessible to an inquirer, and particularly to one coming from the scholastic tradition of Thomas Aquinas.” —Environmental Ethics

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Book SynopsisPresent the first English editions of collected works of the Catholic Thomist philosopher Charles De Koninck (1906–1965). Trade Review“Charles De Koninck, perhaps because of his untimely death, is not as well known to English-speaking readers as Etienne Gilson and Jacques Maritain, but his work belongs to that same world-class scholarship as his notable contemporaries. It is almost an understatement to say that his contribution to the philosophy of science remains timely. Readers are fortunate that his former student, Ralph McInerny, has seen fit to collect and to translate, where necessary, some of De Koninck's most important work for this volume.” —Jude P. Dougherty, The Catholic University of America“Ralph McInerny is doing us the incalculable good of making available to a general public the writings of Charles De Koninck. This volume, the first of many to come, begins a chronological presentation of the books, articles, essays, and addresses of one of the strongest and most penetrating thinkers of the last century, who was at once an extraordinary philosopher and theologian, with the profound and simple faith of the proverbial peasant. May we continue now to learn from the great De Koninck, and include in our prayers the intentions of his gracious disciple, who is so felicitously discharging the office of piety to a revered and unforgettable master.” —Ronald P. Mc Arthur, President Emeritus, Thomas Aquinas College“This is a book for the philosophy aficionado. Scholastic thinkers who have appreciated the thoughts of Catholic Thomist philosopher Charles de Koninck (deceased 1965, Univ. of Laval, Quebec City) on the relationship of scientific thinking and religious thinking to the familiar world around us will immediately realize that this first volume of a planned three-volume set is a superb selection of his writings. Writings include his dissertation on the philosophy of Sir Arthur Eddington and his unpublished work 'the Cosmos.' His well-known considerations of indeterminism, statistical laws, and causality will trigger questions about consciousness, imagination, and the ability to comprehend the cosmos for decades to come.” —Choice“By translating these writings into English, Professor McInerny has done a great service to those who are interested in this period of philosophy, and he has made more accessible the writings of a philosopher who deserves a great deal more attention than he has received to date.” —Catholic Library World“DeKoninck's argument here goes well beyond what can be established in experimental science, but it is a great merit of his work that he is careful to distinguish what we know from experimental science, what philosophical reflection on science might contribute, and what further speculation from metaphysics and theology might add to our understanding of the cosmos.” —First Things

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Book SynopsisPresent the first English editions of collected works of the Catholic Thomist philosopher Charles De Koninck (1906–1965).Trade Review“Volume Two of The Writings of Charles De Koninck reveals a Thomist at home not merely in the deepest questions of natural science and natural philosophy, but also in the highest reaches of ethical and political philosophy, and in the most wonderful realm of revealed theology. De Koninck combines a justified confidence in his wisdom about the highest things with humility and gratitude for the gift of that wisdom. The series edited by Dr. McInerny is taking shape as a recovered treasure of a philosopher who labored to receive, and to pass on, the gift of wisdom.“ —David Quackenbush, Thomas Aquinas College“This is the second volume of a . . . series of the collected works of the Catholic Thomist Charles de Koninck. He was on the faculty of Quebec’s Laval University and director of Laval’s Philosophy Faculty from 1939 to 1956. His works belong to the same class of Thomistic writings of such individuals as Etienne Gilson and Jacques Maritain.” —Catholic Library World

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Book SynopsisHuman Knowing is a clearly written, brief introduction that guides the reader through an exploration of sense perception, ordinary knowing, scientific knowing, and philosophic knowing. This journey culminates in a justification of philosophy as a genuine form of knowing and thus a natural prelude to metaphysics. Though Felt manages to avoid technical language, the development of his argument is a genuine exercise in philosophic thinking. The outcome is a contemporary expression of a position similar to that of Thomas Aquinas, significantly enriched by insights from Bergson, Whitehead, and phenomenology. This book is accessible, smart, and refreshing. Any interested general reader or student will profit from reading it.Trade Review“This fine book is ideal for introductory courses in philosophy, and it is executed and backed up by careful, sophisticated philosophical analysis and insight.” —W. Norris Clarke, S.J., Fordham University“A strong case for relational realism is presented with a carefully outlined argument and discussion of classic examples from many major philosophers, including Locke, Hume, Kant, Searle, Merleau-Ponty, Kuhn, Whitehead, and Aquinas. Numerous analogies from common experience and chapter review questions are provided (plus a dab of humor and poetry). Felt successfully proves with his relational realism that we are not, as some philosophers might call us, merely meat-robots.” —Dialogue“. . . [T]his is an engaging work--bright, readable, and tightly argued. It should serve as a fine undergraduate introduction to epistemology.” —The Review of Metaphysics

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Book SynopsisIn Aims: A Brief Metaphysics for Today, James W. Felt turns his attention to combining elements of Thomas Aquinas''s metaphysics, especially its deep ontology, with Alfred North Whitehead''s process philosophy to arrive at a new possibility for metaphysics. In his distinctive style, Felt concisely pulls together the strands of epistemology, ontology, and teleology, synthesizing these elements into his own process-enriched Thomism.Aims does not simply discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each philosopher''s position, but blends the two into a cohesive argument based on principles derived from immediate experience. Felt arrives at what he calls a Whiteheadian-type solution,appealing to his original concept of the essential aimas necessary for understanding our existence in a coherent yet unique world. This concise, finely crafted discussion provides a thoroughly teleological, value-centered approach to metaphysics. Aims, an experiment in constructive metaphysics, is aTrade Review“The notion of teleology is deeply embedded in the origins of Western philosophy as exemplified by Aristotelian philosophy. James W. Felt’s book, entitled Aims: A Brief Metaphysics for Today, attempts to continue this tradition by constructing a teleological, or goal-oriented, or metaphysics in a succinct and easily accessible work of philosophy. Felt draws upon the work of Aristotle, and more often on that of Aquinas and Whitehead, through a method of phenomenological interpretation. . . . Felt’s book not only provides a wealth of thought provoking phenomenological description about human experience, but it additionally raises some interesting questions about the process of philosophical investigation.” —Dialogue“This is a very engaging exploration into a philosophical terrain where few nowadays care to venture, one that has been subjected to much deconstruction in recent times. . . . Even if we do not always agree with where Felt wants to take us in this onto-teleology, as we read the book we cannot help but get engaged in the unassuming and rigorous exploration that it presents as a result of a long life of reflecting and teaching this difficult subject. We should be thankful for the publication of such a good model for teaching metaphysics as we learn it and for learning metaphysics as we teach it.” —Philosophy Reviews“This book lives up to its title. It is brief, and it presents a metaphysics that, although influenced in fundamental ways by Aquinas, is made contemporary by the contributions of Whitehead and by the author's highly original efforts to bring about a synthesis between the two.” —Catholic Library World“Combines the fundamentals of Thomas Aquinas' metaphysics with Alfred North Whitehead's process philosophy. [Felt] weaves together threads of epistemology, ontology and teleology in order to create 'process-enriched Thomism.'” —Santa Clara Magazine“James Felt's Aims: A Brief Metaphysics for Today is an excellent book. It is engagingly written with exemplary clarity, compactness of expression, and admirable thoughtfulness. It is a work in constructive metaphysics that offers a marvelous introduction to the beginner, as well as being engaging to the advanced student. While Aims shows the main influences of Aquinas and Whitehead, with Bergson and Merleau-Ponty also important, more importantly it gives expression to the singular appropriation of some of the basic metaphysical issues by James Felt himself. It develops a view of relational realism, with lucid expositions of themes such as the nature of primary being, the act of existing, freedom, participation and God, and the nature of self-knowledge. It distills the author's long reflection on these issues and communicates his considered insights with measured lucidity.” —William Desmond, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium“There is a welcome freshness and easy-access approach in this creative presentation of the central philosophical discipline, metaphysics. It starts firmly anchored in our human experience, then moves easily into deeper waters of a proposed Aquinas-Whitehead synthesis.” —W. Norris Clarke, S.J., Fordham University“With modifications to both Aquinas and Whitehead and their complementary interplay, and in contrast to the priority usually given to effective or originating causality, the author argues for the interactive pre-eminence of teleology (aim) and existence (esse) in the promotion and enhancement of cosmic and interpersonal value. In so doing he seeks to restore to the transcendental Good its appropriate place and role.” —Kenneth Schmitz, University of Toronto

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Book SynopsisAnalogia Entis is an intellectually rigorous and systematic account of Thomas’s teaching regarding the analogy of being.Trade Review“Steven A. Long’s Analogia Entis: On the Analogy of Being, Metaphysics, and the Act of Faith is a remarkable book containing a stunning speculative performance. Long speaks for a classical tradition of Thomistic thought but does so with a keen eye on precisely the ways it can help contemporary reflection. His compelling and substantive argument for the value and truth of a set of classical metaphysical understandings—for the necessity of the analogy of proper proportionality in the thought of Thomas Aquinas—will have to be taken seriously by anyone working in analogy in Aquinas as well as by a wide range of scholars within both philosophy and theology.” —John F. Boyle, University of St. Thomas"Professor Long’s very selection of the topic shows the seriousness with which he takes getting at the truth. His case for the ineluctable role of proper proportionality is, I would say, sound and crucial for both natural theology and revelation. I hope that this work will stimulate lively conversation among Thomists." —Lawrence Dewan, Dominican University College"This book has a modest size but an ambitious argument. Long confidently takes up issues of language, epistemology, and metaphysics vital to Thomas Aquinas’s philosophical and theological reflections about God. The centerpiece is a sustained and refreshing rehabilitation of analogy of proportionality; understanding why it has been wrongly rejected or criticized by recent Thomists helps us to appreciate how Aquinas’s metaphysical insight safeguards the transcendence of God and the intelligibility of faith." —Joshua P. Hochschild, Mount St. Mary’s University“Analogia Entis has a complex agenda. First the book intends to defend the theological value of the idea of ‘the analogy of being understood as the analogy of proper proportionality founded on a division of being by act and potency.’ . . . Second, the author argues that this idea is to be found not only in Aquinas’s earlier works, but also remained central to the thought of Thomas Aquinas in his later works.” —Catholic Library World“Analogia Entis is a major strategic contribution to the practice of contemporary Thomistic thought and bears numerous crucial implications for philosophy and theology generally. Long’s chief speculative claims are well argued and penetrating. . . . [He] lays the groundwork for robustly conceptual and realist philosophy of God and theology of God.” —American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly“With this new work, brief but incisive, ‘on the analogy of being, metaphysics, and the act of faith,’ Steven A. Long pursues his crusade in support of the restoration in Christian culture of a philosophy that is likely to help in understanding the faith, as the encyclical Fides et Ratio clearly hopes for.“ —The Thomist

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Book SynopsisJames F. Ross is a creative and independent thinker in contemporary metaphysics and philosophy of mind. In this concise metaphysical essay, he argues clearly and analytically that meaning, truth, impossibility, natural necessity, and our intelligent perception of nature fit together into a distinctly realist account of thought and world. Ross articulates a moderate realism about repeatable natural structures and our abstractive ability to discern them that poses a challenge to many of the common assumptions and claims of contemporary analytic philosophy. He develops a broadly Aristotelian metaphysics that recognizes the hidden necessities of things, which are disclosed through the sciences, which ground his account of real impossibility as a kind of vacuity, and which require the immateriality of the human ability to understand. Those ideas are supported by a novel account of false judgment. Ross aims to offer an analytically and historically respectable alternative to the prevailinTrade Review“In Thought and World, James F. Ross synthesizes and develops much of his work from the last two decades; and as he did in his two other major works (Philosophical Theology and Portraying Analogy) he challenges many of the common dogmatic assumptions from the mainstream of analytic philosophy. While relentlessly challenging these assumptions from a unique and unorthodox perspective, he is nonetheless able to masterfully articulate his position using the dialect of philosophical discourse in analytic philosophy.” —John Zeis, Canisius College"Those [philosophers] who feel the need to consider a wider range of views, and who are willing to work through a book that leaves a significant amount of thinking to them, will find it a fascinating and even worldview-changing look into how Aristotelian-Scholastic ideas can be developed today. If a few follow in Ross's footsteps, the path to truth might come to be more clearly marked." —Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews“In this challenge to much of contemporary Anglo-American analytic philosophy, Ross begins from a position of moderate realism, arguing that there are de re (‘of the thing’) necessities hidden in the complexity of nature that overflow our linguistic meaning but are part of de re truth conditions (for example, the genetic coding of organisms was a de re necessity long before we were able or even around to comprehend or discuss it), which leads to a recognition of the independent reality of things and the affirmation of the real sameness of the known and the real.” —Reference and Research Book News“Ross offers a wide-ranging survey of a number of issues and problems, mainly in metaphysics and the philosophy of mind, including modality, counterfactuals, truth, perception and abstraction, consciousness, and the natures or essences of things. . . . He is a self-described ‘structural realist’: he affirms the existence of an objective, mind-independent physical world, the things of which possess real natures that explain and underlie the powers and causal interactions of those things.” —Choice“James Ross’ work Thought and World is far-reaching. . . Ross’ incorporation of the history of philosophy, while still addressing much of the contemporary thought on the issues, makes this book an accessible and solid philosophical work.” —Dialogue“Thought and World pivots on an attractive central idea, namely that the philosophically important modal concepts of possibility, actuality, and necessity are inherently reality-geared in being based upon ‘the intelligible structures in nature and . . . our abstractive ability to discern them.’” —American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly“Thought and World is an important book. It is important because it offers a critical look at much that is taken for granted in contemporary analytic philosophy; it is also important because it offers a cogent argument for a realistic metaphysics . . . . A brilliant book from first to last, Thought and World is an outstanding example, if not in form, then surely in its wealth of ideas and penetrating insights, of the fruitfulness of bringing the best of the philosophic tradition into dialogue with contemporary problems and currents of thought.” —The Review of Metaphysics

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Book SynopsisThe purpose of Aquinas''s Ethics is to place Thomas Aquinas''s moral theory in its full philosophical and theological context and to do so in a way that makes Aquinas (1224/5-1274) readily accessible to students and interested general readers, including those encountering Aquinas for the first time. Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung, Colleen McCluskey, and Christina Van Dyke begin by explaining Aquinas''s theories of the human person and human action, since these ground his moral theory. In their interpretation, Aquinas''s theological commitments crucially shape his account of the human person, human capacities for action, and human flourishing. The authors develop a comprehensive picture of Aquinas''s thought, which is designed to help students understand how his concept of happiness and the good life are part of a coherent, theologically-informed worldview.Many studies of Aquinas naturally focus on certain areas of his thought and tend to assume a general knowledge of the whoTrade Review"Aquinas’s Ethics is a perfect introduction to one of the most sophisticated and influential ethical systems in Western thought. DeYoung, McCluskey, and Van Dyke capture the brilliant clarity of Aquinas’s moral vision, offering an illuminating perspective true to both the theoretical depth and practical richness of Aquinas’s writings. Those new to Aquinas’s ideas will find this book eminently readable. Everyone—students and scholars alike—will appreciate its direct, distinctive voice and clear philosophical intelligence." —Scott MacDonald, Norma K. Regan Professor in Christian Studies, Cornell University"Aquinas's Ethics is an excellent contribution to the literature on Aquinas and ethics, providing an integrated and robust account of the relationship between a metaphysics of human nature, natural law theory, and virtue theory. Showing these inextricable connections, it is very much like the work of St. Thomas himself, and suggests why so many lesser theories of ethics are unsatisfying for their lack of depth and comprehensive reach." —John Kavanaugh, S.J., Saint Louis University“DeYoung, McCluskey, and Van Dyke have written the ideal introduction to Aquinas’s ethics, situating it in the broader context of his thinking about human nature and action. Although Aquinas cared more about—and wrote more about—ethics than about any other philosophical topic, it remains the most unjustly neglected aspect of his thought. I know of no better guide to that territory than this book.” —Robert Pasnau, University of Colorado at Boulder“DeYoung, McCluskey, and Van Dyke hope to show the metaphysical foundations of Aquinas’s moral theory by placing it within the broader Christian theological context of his work. . . . Rejecting as narrow and ‘unbalanced’ the contemporary view of Thomas as a ‘natural law ethicist,’ the authors try to restore (or relegate) the natural law to its rightful place in his thought. . . . It provides a first-rate introduction for the undergraduate audience.” —Choice“While this book breaks no new ground, it offers a holistic and theologically informed reading of Aquinas’ ethics. I highly recommend this book as a valuable introduction to the ethics of Thomas Aquinas. It is an eminently clear exposition of a complex system.” —Catholic Library World“In this recent book, Rebecca DeYoung Konyndyk, Colleen McCluskey, and Christina Van Dyke have sought to provide a comprehensive yet manageable introduction to St. Thomas Aquinas’ moral thought. The text itself flows well and is uncluttered by notations, with a fairly extensive scholarly apparatus confined to 46 pages of endnotes at the back of the book. Overall, Aquinas’s Ethics is a very useful text that should find a wide readership.” —Dialogue“This is an excellent introduction not only to Aquinas’s ethics per se but also to much of medieval Scholastic thought in general. . . .Those unfamiliar with medieval philosophy in general or Aquinas’s ethics in particular will gain greatly from having read it. Even those who already have some such familiarity are sure to benefit from the particular metaphysical and integrationist frameworks this work offers.” —Speculum“The study nicely reflects the authors’ involvement with undergraduate teaching, which affords a refreshing level of presentation, replete with examples. . . . The result is an articulate and detailed presentation of what Aquinas says, yet affording less insight into the issues he was struggling with, or of the creative ways he develops to address them.” —The Living Church“The authors of Aquinas’s Ethics have furnished budding Thomists and curious onlookers alike with an outstanding introduction to Aquinas’ moral thought. Written for first (or perhaps second) time readers, this volume strikes just the right balance between technical argument and readability, without compromising the rich complexity of Thomas’ account of human nature and the good life.” —Scottish Journal of Theology

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Book SynopsisIn William Desmond and Contemporary Theology, Christopher Simpson and Brendan Sammon coordinate, through a collection of scholarly essays, a timely exploration of William Desmond's work on theology and metaphysics, bringing the disciplines of philosophy and theology together in new and vital ways. The book examines the contribution that Desmond's metaphysics makes to contemporary theological discourse and to the renewal of metaphysics.A central issue for the contributors is the renewal of metaphysics within the post-metaphysical, or anti-metaphysical, context of late modernity. This volume not only capably demonstrates the viability of the metaphysical tradition but also illuminates its effectiveness and value in dealing with the many issues in contemporary theological conversation. William Desmond and Contemporary Theology presents Desmond's contemporary, yet historically aware, continental metaphysics as able to provide revealing insights for the discussion ofTrade Review"William Desmond's metaphysics offers a serious alternative both to the subjective bias and unexplained correlationism of phenomenology and to the inhuman and often extra-rational objectivism of the current secular revival of ontology. It shows how only an account of existence as pointing to God is able to explicate and account for the intimacy of reason with Being in a way that is hospitable to all things, yet respectful of the supremacy of Spirit and its crucial ontological role. The fine essays in this volume by distinguished contributors all serve to develop his vision and to show why it is the way forward, not just for philosophers, but for the human race in its genuine, situated humanity.” —John Milbank, University of Nottingham“The essays in this book are of a uniformly high standard. They are unified by a direct interest in Desmondian metaphysics of existence with strong aesthetic highlights. The essays are well written, the book coheres around enthusiasm for the renewal of metaphysics. This is an important book, signaling a new direction in theological philosophy.” —Francesca Aran Murphy, University of Notre Dame“The themes covered in this book are especially to be welcomed, and should provide a major starting point for any scholars wishing to explore in greater detail the significance of Desmond’s work for contemporary theological and theoretical developments. This is an impressive and well-paced collection of essays.” —Catherine Pickstock, University of Cambridge"William Desmond is a philosopher whose work is not only open to theology and oriented toward the 'divine horizon,' but one from whom theology has a very great deal to learn. His is a unique—and uniquely beautiful—voice, and the more widely his influence spreads the better. Simpson and Sammon have assembled a truly remarkable company of theological respondents to Desmond's project, and we can only hope that his volume will help to prompt more numerous and extensive theological engagements with Desmond's work." —David Bentley Hart, Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study

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Book SynopsisIn Metaphysical Perspectives, Nicholas Rescher offers a grand vision of how to conceptualize, and in some cases answer, some of the most fundamental issues in metaphysics and value theory. Rescher addresses what he sees as the three prime areas of metaphysical concern: (1) the world as such and the architecture of nature at large, (2) ourselves as nature''s denizens and our potential for learning about it, and (3) the transcendent domain of possibility and value. Rescher engages issues across a wide range of metaphysical themes, from different worldviews and ultimate questions to contingency and necessity, intelligent design and world-improvability, personhood and consciousness, empathy and other minds, moral obligation, and philosophical methodology. Over the course of this book, Rescher discusses, with his characteristic fusion of idealism and pragmatism, an integrated overview of the key philosophical problems grounded in an idealistically value-oriented approach. His discTrade Review"Necessity, randomness, free will, consciousness, the transcendental, intelligent design, the improvability of the world: in Metaphysical Perspectives these and many other topics get fascinating treatment by America's finest philosopher. Particularly intriguing is Rescher's theory of why the cosmos exists." —John Leslie, professor emeritus, University of Guelph, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada"Nicholas Rescher's Metaphysical Perspectives is a magisterial work, in both depth and breadth. The proposed metaphysical theory is novel, though Leibnizean in spirit. It rests on axiological considerations, hence much of the book consists of discussion, brief but unfailingly erudite, of topics not usually regarded as strictly metaphysical. This is why an extended and highly interesting ethical theory is also proposed, succinctly but clearly and eloquently." —Panayot Butchvarov, professor emeritus, University of Iowa"Across questions of possibility, reality, consciousness, and value, Nicholas Rescher brings a full range of metaphysical topics together in a unified approach. To all of these questions he applies a unified vision of the character of philosophy as well: philosophy as literature, following wherever rationality leads, normative as well as descriptive, aimed at offering a guide to life. The result is comprehensive in both topic and technique, a masterful value-based vision from a true contemporary master." —Patrick Grim, Stony Brook University and University of Michigan"Nicholas Rescher’s encyclopedic knowledge of philosophy is on full display in this work. A broad sweep of metaphysical topics is covered, ranging from the principle of sufficient reason through consciousness to the question of why philosophy is ordinarily inexact. One of its virtues is that the clarity of writing makes most chapters accessible to a general readership while providing an intellectual challenge to academic philosophers." —Paul Humphreys, University of VirginiaTable of ContentsPreface Introduction: On the Mission of Philosophy 1. Ultimate Questions 2. World Views 3. Terminological Contextuality 4. On Contingency and Necessity 5. Randomness and Reason 6. Issues of Self-Reference and Paradox 7. Explanation and the Principle of Sufficient Reason 8. Intelligent Design Revisited in the Light of Evolutionary Neo-Platonism 9. What If Things Were Different? 10. On the Improvability of the World 11. Consciousness 12. Control 13. Free Will in the Light of Process Theory 14. Personhood 15. The Metaphysics of Moral Obligation 16. Empathy, Shared Experience, and Other Minds 17. Philosophy as an Inexact Science 18. Philosophy’s Involvement with Transcendental Issues 19. Religious Variation and the Rationale of Belief Notes Bibliography Index of Names

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Like Desmond’s other publications, this book shows a deep thoughtfulness, a rare capacity to wonder, and an astonishing attentiveness to things that are evident but tend to pass by unnoticed.” —D. C. Schindler, author of Freedom from Reality“William Desmond is one of the most original philosophers of our time, and this volume is perhaps his most fascinating yet.” —David Bentley Hart, author of Theological Territories"The adventure of this work is in stepping away from any preconceived notions and reflecting on the human experience in a new way. Upon doing so, Desmond offers many incisive and rich critiques of an atheistic contemporary world as well as of static and insufficient presentations of religious belief, all from within his particular conceptual framework." —The University BookmanTable of ContentsIntroduction: Superiority Beyond Interiority 1. Default Atheism 2. Thresholds Between Finitude and Infinitude: The Self-sublation and Abjection of Transcendence 3. Solitudes: Thresholds Between Selving and the Sacred 4. Idiot Wisdom and the Intimate Universal: Immanence and Transcendence in an Intercultural Perspective 5. Mysticism and the Intimate Universal: On the Arnhem Mystical Sermons and Sri Aurobindo 6. Dream Monologues of Autonomy: Variations on the Prodigal Son 7. Exceeding Virtue: On Aquinas and the Beatitudes 8. Godsends: On the Surprise of Revelation

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Book SynopsisAbelard in Four Dimensions: A Twelfth-Century Philosopher in His Context and Ours by John Marenbon, one of the leading scholars of medieval philosophy and a specialist on Abelard''s thought, originated from a set of lectures in the distinguished Conway Lectures in Medieval Studies series and provides new interpretations of central areas of Peter Abelard''s philosophy and its influence. The four dimensions of Abelard to which the title refers are that of the past (Abelard''s predecessors), present (his works in context), future (the influence of his thinking up to the seventeenth century), and the present-day philosophical culture in which Abelard''s works are still discussed and his arguments debated.For readers new to Abelard, this book provides an introduction to his life and works along with discussion of his central ideas in semantics, ethics, metaphysics, and philosophy of religion. For specialists, the book contains new arguments about the authenticity and chronoTrade Review"This searching, thorough, and original study examines Abelard's past, present, and future, and our present. John Marenbon offers the best enquiry yet made into the sequence of Abelard's writings and their chronology, followed by an incisive and highly illuminating account of the various, successive formulations of his 'unpopular argument' to the effect that God cannot do otherwise than as he does. This is an accomplished work which will be eagerly read and hugely appreciated by students and their teachers on courses of philosophy, theology, and history." —David Luscombe, University of Sheffield"Marenbon (Cambridge University), an important scholar of medieval philosophy, here returns to a topic that occupied him some years ago: the philosophy of Peter Abelard. Rather than serving as a general treatment of Abelard's philosophy, this book focuses on four different ways of reading the philosopher: in terms of his predecessors, his contemporaries, and his historical influence, and in terms of contemporary philosophy. This volume . . . will not disappoint. It should prove useful to students of Peter Abelard and of medieval thought more generally." —Choice"As a volume of Conway lectures, it is a worthy peer to sit alongside the recent contributions of Rosamund McKitterick, Jonathan Riley Smith, A. C. Spearing, and Barbara Newman. I hope this book will reach a wider audience of medievalists than only philosophers, theologians, and twelfth-century specialists (for whom it will be indispensable), if only for the tentative but convincing answer Marenbon provides to the immediately pressing question of the relevance of medieval studies." —Speculum“In this book, John Marenbon takes on select issues from Abelard’s philosophy and theology that have proven to be problematic. These he submits to close examination, hewing his own path in submitting these topics to careful scrutiny, never coming to easy conclusions, but offering original insights. For audiences responsive to Marenbon’s approach his book offers value.” —Mediaevistik“Much of what is explored here is explored with clarity, care, and judgment. In an important sense Marenbon proves the thesis of the book: that historical understanding and background helpfully informs attempts to see in thinkers from another era versions of contemporary theories and can prevent misreadings of many kinds.” —Journal of the History of Philosophy"Abelard in Four Dimensions is an excellent introduction to the study of Peter Abelard. The 'four dimensions' in the title refer to future, past, and present—Abelard's and our own. . . . In his conclusion, Marenbon reflects intelligently on how best to bring medieval thinkers into the contemporary discussion: not by distortion, forcing medieval ideas into 'a conceptual framework where they do not belong,' but by asking ourselves not only how they resemble modern positions, but also how the problems addressed differ from those today's philosophers pose." —The Medieval Review“Throughout this book, but especially in its conclusion, Marenbon steps back and reflects upon methodologies of historians of philosophy. [Marenbon] has identified some weighty issues that any historian of philosophy must address, and one would be well advised to read Marenbon’s thoughtful remarks on this subject.” —Vivarium

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Book SynopsisHart has assembled a stellar group of philosophers and theologians from the United States, Britain, France, and Australia to examine the work of Jean-Luc Marion, the leading figure in French phenomenology as well as one of the proponents of the so-called "theological turn" in European philosophy.Trade Review“This collection will prove useful to those already interested in the implications of Marion's work for philosophy and theology, and it is indicative of the increasingly blurred boundaries between the two within phenomenology. Kevin Hart's introduction and David Tracy's 'Jean-Luc Marion: Phenomenology, Hermeneutics and Theology' in particular provide good overviews of the development of Marion's work within phenomenology and its increasing influence as philosophical theology, and could be of use to those looking for a manageable starting point in this area.” —International Journal of Systematic Theology“This collection of essays from leading scholars in philosophy, theology, and religious studies, including J.D. Caputo, D. Tracy, and K. Turner, provides a wide variety of views dealing with Marion's theology, phenomenology, and the interaction of the two.” —Religious Studies Review“Hart has produced a remarkably lucid and engaging introduction to the thought of Marion. The volume includes insightful readings of, with, and against Marion from an excellent cohort of leading philosophers and theologians. These essays are organized thoughtfully and are supplemented by comprehensive bibliographic appendices. . . an indispensable resource for scholars working on Marion and for the scholarship engaged at the intersection of phenomenology and theology that his thought energizes.” —Modern Theology“Readers should be grateful to Kevin Hart for his marvelous introduction to Counter-Experiences, a collection of essays about Marion, which situates Marion in relation to the German philosophers. . . . Many of the best essays in Counter-Experiences address questions of Marion' philosophy of religion. . . . Counter-Experiences is useful precisely because it gives the reader not only a sense of the paths Marion has thus far traveled but also some sense of the most fruitful lines of inquiry his thought opens up.” —First Things“This collection contains many careful and insightful essays on Marion's thought, and is indispensable reading for anyone interested in Marion's contributions to contemporary phenomenology and theology.” —Philosophy in Review“This is a ground-breaking book by leading continental thinkers on one of the most pioneering and controversial voices to emerge in French thought in decades. This volume addresses the lynch-pin of Marion's thought—the point where philosophy and theology, gift and revelation, impossibility and grace, intersect in fascinating and arresting ways. Kevin Hart, as editor, assembles and conducts a magisterial intellectual orchestra.” —Richard Kearney, Boston College“The collective strength of these exceptionally high-quality essays is the authors’ diversity of reflection on the relation of phenomenology to theology. Readers new to Marion will find their way into the corpus and those already familiar with Marion’s work will encounter stimulating interpretations, challenges, and defenses. Valuable, too, are Hart’s introduction to Marion as phenomenologist and Marion’s defense of the saturated phenomenon that bookend the volume.” —Merold Westphal, Fordham University“As a sophisticated engagement with the question of Marion’s relation to Christian theology specifically, and as a general response to Marion’s work as a whole, Counter-Experiences is an undeniable success. The authors treat Marion’s texts carefully, bring impressive intellectual force to their task, and provide rich documentation in the strongest volume of work on Marion’s thought yet to appear in English.” —Jeffrey Bloechl, College of the Holy Cross

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Book SynopsisEriugena, Berkeley and the Idealist Tradition is a collection of original essays presented at an international conference held in Dublin in 2002 and subsequently revised in light of discussions at the conference. As Stephen Gersh and Dermot Moran explain in their introduction, this book asks the question: What do philosophers mean by idealism? According to Gersh and Moran, the question of idealism is a difficult one, not only because of the historical complexity of the term idealism as they have sketched it but also because understanding of the phenomenon is dependent upon the observer''s own philosophical persuasion. The essays in this volume take up the question of idealism in the history of philosophy from Plato, through late ancient and medieval thought, to Berkeley, Kant, and Hegel. Although there are obvious discontinuities among these versions of idealism, the degree of continuity is sufficient to justify a reexamination of the entire question.The contributors cTrade Review"This is a very rich volume and constitutes a good starting point for a discussion of the multiple meanings of 'idealism.' In particular, it teaches the lesson that broad 'philosophical' definitions should be held in deep suspicion unless tied to specific contexts of discussion and specific historical periods." —Journal of the History of Philosophy“Fourteen essays trace the concept of idealism from Plato, the Roman Stoics, Plotinus, and Augustine through to Berkeley and the age of Kant and Hegel. Three papers on the ninth-century Irish writer Johannes Scottus Eriugena and on the Liber de causis, from ninth-century Baghdad, inspired by a concern to understand the common ground between medieval Neoplatonism and nineteenth-century Hegelian idealism . . . are especially instructive for medievalists.” —Medium Aevum“All fourteen essays collected in this volume are solid pieces of scholarship, and the book as a whole is a welcome addition to the ongoing debate on the role that the history of philosophy can play in enriching our conceptual apparatus by reminding us of the complexity of our philosophical tradition. The book succeeds in reminding us that idealism is a constellation of different positions.” —The Review of Metaphysics"If it is true—as Hegel and his followers have claimed—that being and truth are indissociable from history, then philosophy cannot be successful if it limits itself exclusively to investigations of individual thinkers and periods. What is at stake, ultimately, is the development of Western thought as a whole. In this volume, a fine international group of scholars investigate the meaning of idealism across the ages. Without sacrificing nuance, their contributions show that a core of shared assumptions characterizes idealist philosophies. The historical dialogue which this volume advances emphasizes the relevance of ancient and medieval thinkers for the current debate, but it also challenges us to place modern representatives of idealism—such as Berkeley, Kant, and Hegel—in historical perspective." —Philipp W. Rosemann, University of Dallas"This is a rich, subtle, thought-provoking collection on central, though neglected topics in idealism and its history, offering fresh and important insights into both familiar and less familiar major figures, views, and issues. Most important, perhaps, are its presentation and assessment of non-subjective forms of idealism, as well as mind-dependence forms of idealism prior to Descartes. Contemporary philosophers have become sophisticated about various forms of realism, anti-realism and irrealism. Such discussions, among others, will benefit significantly by accepting this volume’s invitation to become more sophisticated about idealism as well. This very welcome contribution to the literature should find a broad readership." —Kenneth R. Westphal, University of East Anglia

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Book SynopsisHerbert Marcuse called the preface to Hegel''s Phenomenology one of the greatest philosophical undertakings of all times. This summary of Hegel''s system of philosophy is now available in English translation with commentary on facing pages. While remaining faithful to the author''s meaning, Walter Kaufmann has removed many encumbrances inherent in Hegel''s style.Trade Review"[Kaufmann's] lengthy commentary is a minor masterpiece of concise and erudite interpretation. This is a welcome departure from the lazy habit of pretending that Hegel was an obscure pedant who left some quite readable lectures on the philosophy of history. . . . To grasp what Hegel was really trying to do, one has to confront his metaphysics, and thanks to Kaufmann this an now be done even by the philosophical novice." —The New York Review of Books

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Book SynopsisAlthough Pseudo-Dionysius was, after Aristotle, the author whom Thomas Aquinas quoted most frequently, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the role of this Neoplatonist thinker in the formation of Aquinas'' philosophy. Fran O''Rourke''s book is the only available work that investigates the pervasive influence of Pseudo-Dionysius on Aquinas, while at the same time examining the latter''s profound originality. Central themes discussed by O''Rourke include knowledge of the absolute, existence as the first and most universal perfection, the diffusion of creation, the hierarchy of creatures, and their return to God as final end. O''Rourke devotes special attention to the Neoplatonist element in Aquinas'' notion of being as intensity or degree of perfection. He also considers the relation of being and goodness in light of Aquinas'' nuanced reversal of Dionysius'' theory of the primacy of the good, and Aquinas'' arguments for the transcendental nature of goodness.Trade Review"This is one of the two or three most important books on Aquinas published in the last fifty years." —Alasdair MacIntyre, University of Notre Dame"The substantial and detailed analysis of the texts of both authors will prove an invaluable work of reference for students of Pseudo-Dionysius and Aquinas." —International Philosophical Quarterly"A truly magnificent study." —Angelicum"Although the argumentation of the book is subtle and profoundly conceived, it is stated with the most lucid and compelling clarity. The book was a labour of love and is certain to remain for many decades or more the standard work in an extraordinarily difficult area of the history of metaphysics." —International Journal of Philosophical Studies"The book's footnotes constitute a terrific, topically arranged guide to the primary sources." —Speculum“. . . the completeness of O’Rourke’s survey of the vast quantity of relevant (and often untranslated) text, as well as his extensive knowledge and prudent employment of the multilingual literature, make it a genuinely useful resource for scholars. . . Thus, because of its exhaustive historical scholarship, its even-handedness and its continued philosophical cogency, the reissue of O’Rourke’s book can be greeted with applause.” —Journal of Ecclesiastical History

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewMr. Hope translates every term in as many ways as are required by different contexts and by Aristotle's own intended meanings, thereby producing a version that is immeasurably more intelligible than one based on the assumption that every Greek word must be rendered by a single English equivalent."--Ben Ray Redman"The translator is to be commended for the scholarly and painstaking service which he has rendered to one of the great philosophic masterpieces of all times."--Paul Helsel

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Book SynopsisStudents of philosophy, psychology, sociology, and literature will welcome this collection of original essays on self-deception and related phenomena such as wishful thinking, bad faith, and false consciousness. The book has six sections, each exploring self-deception and related phenomena from a different perspective.Table of ContentsSections and Contributors: The Analysis of Self-Deception Amelie Oksenberg Rorty Brian P. McLaughlin Mark Johnston Robert Audi The Epistemic Dimension of Self-Deception Bas C. van Fraassen David H. Sanford Adam Morton Frederick F. Schmitt The Psychology of Self-Deception Allen W. Wood Edward Erwin Leila Tov-Ruach Georges Rey Adrian M. S. Piper Ronald B. de Sousa The Social Dimension of Self-Deception Allen W. Wood Rom Harre' William Ruddick Bruce Wilshire The Moral Dimension of Self-Deception Stephen L. Darwall Marcia Baron Stephen L. White Self-Deception in Literature Martha Nussbaum Margret Kohlenbach Rudiger Bittner

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Book SynopsisPresents the factual and conceptual history of Martin Heidegger's "Being and Time" (1927), a key twentieth-century text. Through investigation of European archives and private correspondence, this title provides an account of the philosopher's early development and progress toward his masterwork.Table of ContentsFIGURES KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS AND NOTATIONS INTRODUCTION PART I • THE BREAKTHROUGH TO THE TOPIC 1. Phenomenological Beginnings: The Hermeneutic Breakthrough (1915-19) Harbingers in the Habilitation KNS 1919: The Idea of Philosophy and the Problem of Worldviews SS 1919: Phenomenology and Transcendental Value-Philosophy SS 1919: On the Essence of the University and Academic Studies 2. Theo-Logical Beginnings: Toward a Phenomenology of Christianity The Religious-Philosophical Itinerary (1915-22) Religious Experience as a Phenomenological Paradigm (1917-19) The Philosophical Foundations of Medieval Mysticism (August 1919) Summary: A Religious Phenomenology? 3. The Deconstruction of Life (1919-20) WS 1919-20: Basic Problems of Phenomenology SS 1920: Phenomenology of Intuition and Expression: Theory of Philosophical Concept Formation "Critical Comments on Karl Jaspers's P.1ychology of Worldviews" 4. The Religion Courses (1920-21) WS 1920-21: Introduction to the Phenomenology of Religion SS 1921: Augustine and Neoplatonism Conclusion: Two Religion Courses PART II • CONFRONTING THE ONTOLOGICAL TRADITION 5. What Did Heidegger Find in Aristotle? (1921-23) SS 1921: Phenomenological Practicum "Relating to" Aristotle's De Anima WS 1921-22: Phenomenological Interpretations to Aristotle: Introduction to Phenomenological Research: Einleitung SS 1922: Phenomenological Interpretations to Aristotle: Ontology and Logic October 1922: The Einleitung to a Book on Aristotle WS 1922-23: Seminar: "Phenomenological Interpretations to Aristotle" SS 1923: Ontology: Hermeneutics of Facticity 6. Aristotle Again: From Unconcealment to Presence (1923-24) WS 1923-24: Introduction to Phenomenological Research "Being-here and Being-true" (1923-24; December 1924) SS 1924: Ground Concepts of Aristotelian Philosophy WS 1924-25: Interpretation of Platonic Dialogues PART III • THREE DRAFTS OF BEING AND TIME 7. The Dilthey Draft: "The Concept of Time" (1924) "The Concept of Time" U uly 1924) "The Concept of Time" (November 1924) The Kassel Lectures (April 1925) 8. The Ontoeroteric Draft: History of the Concept of Time (1925) SS 1925: History of the Concept of Time WS 1925-26: Logic (Aristotle) [The Question of Truth] 9. The Final Draft: Toward a Kairology of Being Ontic Ontology The Primacy of Possibility Horizonal Schematizing: The Story Goes On EROTETIC EPILOGUE 4 Appendixes* B. Heideggers Lehrveranstaltungen I Heidegger's Teaching Activities, 1915-30 C. A Documentary Chronology of the Path to the Publication of Being and Time, 1924-27 D. Genealogical Glossary of Heidegger's Basic Terms, 1915-27 NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX OF NAMES INDEX OF SUBJECT MATTER INDEX OF GREEK TERMS INDEX OF LATIN TERMS * Note that there is no Appendix A. See Introduction for explanation.

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Book SynopsisThe Socratic, or dialog, form is central to the history of philosophy and has been the disciplinea s canonical genre ever since. Paul Feyerabenda s Three Dialogues on Knowledge resurrects the form to provide an astonishingly flexible and invigorating analysis of epistemological, ethical and metaphysical problems.Trade Review"An audacious thinker, a brilliant polemicist, an iconoclast ..." Publishers' WeeklyTable of ContentsFirst Dialogue (1990). Second Dialogue (1976). Third Dialogue (1989). Postscript.

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Book SynopsisHilary Putnam has been at the center of contemporary debates about the nature of the mind and of its access to the world, about language and its relation to reality, and many other metaphysical and epistemological issues. In this book he turns to pragmatism - and confronts the teachings of James, Peirce, Dewey, and Wittgenstein - not solely out of an interest in theoretical questions, but above all to respond to the questions of whether it is possible to find an alternative to corrosive moral skepticism, on the one hand, and to moral authoritarianism on the other.Trade Review"It is a relatively rare, and very welcome, event when an original, brilliantly imaginative analytic philosopher takes a fresh look at earlier figures in the history of philosophy and proceeds to tell a story that ties in their work with his own. Analytic philosophy's greatest disability remains its lack of historical resonance, and Hilary Putnam is one of the few who have worked hard to help it overcome this handicap ... In sum, this book is a useful supplement to Putnam's other recent work." Richard Rorty, The Philosophical ReviewTable of ContentsHilary Putnam. Preface. Introductory Remarks. 1. The Permanace of William James. 2. Was Wittgenstein a Pragmatist?. 3. Pragmatism and the Contemporary Debate. Bibliography of the Writings of Hilary Putman. Index.

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Book Synopsis* Sister volume to the acclaimed Companion to Epistemology (Blackwell 1992)* Over 200 main entries* Internationally acclaimed contributors. .Trade Review"The Companion has a number of virtues that make it a useful resource for both students and professional philosophers. I must single out those {entries} on the continental philosophers and concepts as especially clearly written, non-jargony introductions. Many of the entries provided charming little arguments, or twists, on behalf of the author's already known positions. Indeed, this feature of the 'Companion' makes it of value even to the most advanced philosopher, already quite familiar with the topic." Alan Sidelle, The Philosophical ReviewTable of ContentsList of Contributors. Introduction. A Companion to Metaphysics. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis volume presents an introduction to 20 core areas of philosophical logic including classical logic, modal logic, alternative logics and close examinations of key logical concepts. It should engage both the general reader and experienced logician and provide a foundation for further study.Trade Review"Suppose your friend – or your student, or yourself – knows a little logic and a little philosophy. If you wish that person to gain an early appreciation of philosophical logic, then this book is a perfect gift – or assignment, or purchase. Written by outstanding philosophical logicians, its clear and authoritative chapters guide the reader directly into the heart of each topic. There are enough details to create genuine understanding, but not so many as to intimidate. The term 'guide' is exactly the right word for this splendid book." Nuel Belnap, University of Pittsburgh "This is an excellent collection of articles covering the main areas of philosophical logic, written by front-line, internationally known researchers in the field. It should be available in every serious library." Dov Gabbay, King's College, London "This volume on philosophical logic is a welcome and manageable resource. The editor is to be congratulated both on his choice of material and on his choice of collaborators. The result is a well-balanced mix of authoritative overviews of classical mathematical logic and up-to-date accounts of topics in linguistics and computer science." Krister Segerberg, Uppsala University "These twenty chapters cover the areas of logic of greatest interest to philosophers, and also to computer scientists, linguists, and cognitive scientists. They are written by world-class authorities in their fields and give comprehensive and definitive introductions to their subjects." Ernie Lepore, Rutgers University "For those interested in the philosophy of logic an excellent place to turn would be The Blackwell Guide to Philosophical Logic edited by Lou Goble. The book consists of 20 specially written essays by distinguished figures in the field, each with an editor's introduction." Times higher Education Supplement "The intended readership is philosophers and logicians, but there is much that will be of interest to computer scientists, cognative scientists and theoretical linguists. The Book is accessible to non-experts and experts will find much substance in the essays." Studia LogicaTable of ContentsList of Contributors vii Preface ix Introduction 1 Lou Goble 1 Classical Logic I – First-Order Logic 9 Wilfrid Hodges 2 Classical Logic II – Higher-Order Logic 33 Stewart Shapiro 3 Set Theory 55 John P. Burgess 4 Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorems 72 Raymond Smullyan 5 Truth 90 Anil Gupta 6 Logical Consequence 115 Patricia A. Blanchette 7 Modal Logic 136 M. J. Cresswell 8 Deontic Logic 159 Risto Hilpinen 9 Epistemic Logic 183 J.-J. Ch. Meyer 10 Temporal Logic 203 Yde Venema 11 Intuitionistic Logic 224 Dirk van Dalen 12 Free Logics 258 Karel Lambert 13 Relevant Logics 280 Edwin D. Mares and Robert K. Meyer 14 Many-Valued Logics 309 Grzegorz Malinowski 15 Nonmonotonic Logic 336 John F. Horty 16 Probability, Logic, and Probability Logic 362 Alan Hájek 17 Conditionals 385 Dorothy Edgington 18 Negation 415 Heinrich Wansing 19 Quantifiers 437 Dag Westerståhl 20 Logic and Natural Language 461 Alice ter Meulen Index 484

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Book SynopsisContains contributions by leading scholars, who examine the following areas: intensionality and intentionality; language ontology and truth; rule-following; the nature of the mental; consciousness and qualia: a symposium; and naturalism and actualism - an exchange.Table of ContentsPart I: The Sixth Philosophical Perspectives Lecture: . Computer Proof, Apriori Knowledge, and Other Monds: Tyler Burge. Part II: Intensionality and Intentionality: . Teh Subject Verb Object Class I: Joseph Almog. The Subject Verb Object Class II: Joseph Almog. Why Holism is Harmless and Necessary: Akeel Bilgrami. Actions, Norms, and Practical Reasoning: Robert Brandom. Semantics for Opaque Contexts: Kirk Ludwig and Greg Ray. Proportionality and Mental Causation: A Fit?: Matthew McGrath. Part III: Language, Ontology and Truth:. Identity and General Similarity: Harry Deutsch. Reference and Description Revisited: Frank Jackkson. Some Reflections on the Sport of Language: Mark Norris Lance. Three Norms of Assertibility, or How the MOA Became Extinct: Huw Price. Commitment: Mark Richard. Part IV: Rule-Following:. Rules and Powers: C. B. Martin and John Neil. Facts, Truth Conditions, and the Skeptical Solution to the Rule-Following Paradox. Part V: The Nature of the Mental. . Numbers, Minds, and Bodies: A Fresh Look at Mind-Body Dualism: John O'Leary-Hawthorne and Jeffrey K. McDonough. Mind the Gap: David Papineau. The Boadness of the Mental: Some logical Considerations: Timothy Williamson. Part VI: Consciousness and Qualia: A Symposium: . The Division of Phenomenal Labor: A Problem for Representational Theories of Consciousness. A Narrow Representationalist Account of Qualitative Experience: Georges Rey. Inverted Earth, Swampman, and Representationism: Michael Tye. In Defense of the Representational Theory of Qualia (Replies to Neander, Rey, and Tye): William G. Lycan. Part VII: Naturalism and Actualism: An Exchange: . Naturalism, Actualism, and Ontology: James E. Tomberlin. Putting Metaphysics First: A Response to James Tomberlin. Actualism, Quantification, and Contextual Semantics: Terence Horgan.

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Book SynopsisCovers perennial philosophical problems such as the connection between mind and body; life after death; the role of reason; free will and determinism; the relationship between the individual and society; and the problem of relativism. This book is suitable for those interested in the theories that have affected the course of human history.Trade Review"Professor Trigg's book is clear, accurate and absorbing, well worth recommending to anyone seriously interested in finding out what sort of thing we might be thought to be." Stephen Clark, University of Liverpool ‘Trigg’s new edition offers the best introduction available to prominent approaches to human nature. It is lucid, accessible and comprehensive. The book will be highly engaging and instructive for undergraduate students from various disciplines.’ – Paul Moser; Loyola University Chicago ‘The great attractions of Roger Trigg’s book are its interdisciplinary character and its broad historical sweep, giving students a clear sense of both continuity and change in thought about fundamental issues concerning human nature. I don’t know of any other book which rivals it in these respects.’ – E. J. Lowe, University of DurhamTable of ContentsPreface to the Second Edition. Introduction. 1. Plato c. 429-347 BC. 2. Aristotle 384-322 BC. 3. Aquinas 1225-1274. 4. Hobbes 1588-1679. 5. Locke 1632-1704. 6. Hume 1711-1776. 7. Kant 1724- 804. 8. Darwin 1809-1882. 9. Marx 1818-1883. 10. Nietzsche 1844-1900. 11. Freud 1856-1939. 12. Wittgenstein 1889-1951. Conclusion to the Second Edition. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisCovers perennial philosophical problems such as the connection between mind and body; life after death; the role of reason; free will and determinism; the relationship between the individual and society; and the problem of relativism. This book is suitable for those interested in the theories that have affected the course of human history.Trade Review"Professor Trigg's book is clear, accurate and absorbing, well worth recommending to anyone seriously interested in finding out what sort of thing we might be thought to be." Stephen Clark, University of Liverpool ‘Trigg’s new edition offers the best introduction available to prominent approaches to human nature. It is lucid, accessible and comprehensive. The book will be highly engaging and instructive for undergraduate students from various disciplines.’ – Paul Moser; Loyola University Chicago ‘The great attractions of Roger Trigg’s book are its interdisciplinary character and its broad historical sweep, giving students a clear sense of both continuity and change in thought about fundamental issues concerning human nature. I don’t know of any other book which rivals it in these respects.’ – E. J. Lowe, University of DurhamTable of ContentsPreface to the Second Edition. Introduction. 1. Plato c. 429-347 BC. 2. Aristotle 384-322 BC. 3. Aquinas 1225-1274. 4. Hobbes 1588-1679. 5. Locke 1632-1704. 6. Hume 1711-1776. 7. Kant 1724- 804. 8. Darwin 1809-1882. 9. Marx 1818-1883. 10. Nietzsche 1844-1900. 11. Freud 1856-1939. 12. Wittgenstein 1889-1951. Conclusion to the Second Edition. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis collection of essays was presented to David Wiggins to mark his 60th birthday and his accession to the Wykeham Chair of Logic at Oxford. The contributors, who include both long-established and younger writers, take up some of the many important philosophical debates on which Wiggins has made an impact. Their chosen topics range from ancient philosophy to contemporary questions in ethics, metaphysics and the theory of meaning. An attractive feature of the volume is that it contains Wiggins''s comments on each of the papers, and so offers an accessible guide to his present thinking.Table of ContentsAristotelian Society Monographs Series. Aristotelian Society Monograph Committee: Martin Davies (Monograph Editor), Thomas Baldwin, Jennifer Hornsby, Mark Sainsbury, Anthony Savile. 1. Wittgenstein on Meaning: An Interpretation and Evaluation: Colin McGinn. 2. Modes of Occurrence: Verbs, Adverbs and Events: Barry Taylor. 3. Reasoning with Arbitrary Objects: Kit Fine. 4. Thoughts: An Essay on Content: Christopher Peacocke. 5. Metaphor: David E. Cooper. 6. Needs, Values, Truth: Essays in the Philosophy of Value (Second Edition): David Wiggins. 7. Colour: Some Philosophical Problems from Wittgenstein (Second Edition): Jonathan Westphal. 8. Aesthetic Reconstructions: The Seminal Writings of Lessing, Kant and Schiller: Anthony Savile. 9. Languages of Possibility: An Essay in Philosophical Logic: Graeme Forbes. 10. Kinds of Being: A Study of Individuation, Identity and the Logic of Sortal Terms: E. J. Lowe. 11. Logical Necessity: I. McFetridge. 12. Psychoanalysis, Mind, and Art: Perspectives on Richard Wollheim: Edited by Jim Hopkins and Anthony Savile. 13. Quantum Non-Locality and Relativity: Metaphysical Intimations of Modern Physics: Tim Maudlin. 14. The Metaphysics of Free Will: An Essay on Control: John Martin Fischer. 15. Universals and Property Instances: The Alphabet of Being: John Bacon. 16. Identity, Truth and Value: Essays for David Wiggins: Sabina Lovibond and S. G. Williams. 17. Minds, Causes, and Mechanisms: A Case Against Physicalism: Josep E. Corbí and Josep L. Prades. 18. Moral Theory and Anomaly: Tom Sorell.

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Book SynopsisThis work presents a siginificant contribution to the literature on the intersection of issues of metaphysics and issues of ethics. Original essays cover topics including: the relationship between the concept of personal identity and the understanding of death; and normative appraisals of death.Table of ContentsMetaphysics as Prolegomenon to Ethics (Joel Kupperman). The Meaning of Life (John Kekes). In Defense of a Common Ideal for a Human Life (E. M. Adams). Can the Dead Really Be Buried? (Palle Yourgrau). Later Death/Earlier Birth (Christopher Belshaw). Death and the Psychological Conception of Personal Identity (John Martin Fischer and Daniel Speak). Thick and Thin Selves: Reply to Fischer and Speak (Frederik Kaufman). The Termination Thesis (Fred Feldman). The Evil of Death Revisited (Harry S. Silverstein). Death and Asymmetries in Normative Appraisals (Ishtiyaque Haji). Appraising Death in Human Life: Two Modes of Valuation (Stephen E. Rosenbaum). "For Now Have I My Death’: The "Duty to Die" versus the Duty to Help the Ill Stay Alive (Felicia Ackerman). Taking Life and the Argument from Potentiality (Roy W. Perrett). Privatizing Death: Metaphysical Discouragement of Ethical Thinking (John Woods). Justifications for Killing Noncombatants in War (F. M. Kamm). Capital Punishment and the Sanctity of Life (Philip E. Devine). Aesthetics: The Need for a Theory (Mary Mothersill). Contributors

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Book SynopsisThis title is David Lewis's presentation of and sustained argument for a particular view about propositions which express contrary-to-fact conditionals, including his infamous defence of realism about possible worlds.Trade Review"'Contrary-to-fact conditionals have provided logical analysts with fascinating puzzles. (This book) has a unitary theme presented clearly and attractively for the most part with only the unavoidable minimum of formal apparatus. The theme is pursued confidently and relentlessly without evasions or qualifications." Times Literary Supplement "This is an excellent book. It combines shrewd philosophical sense with a fine technical expertise. The statement of views is concise and forthright." Kit Fine, Mind "This essay is a virtuoso performance." British Journal for the Philosophy of Science "Beautifully and lucidly written and full of clever ideas. It contains very many philosophical insights and comparisons." J. J. C. Smart, Australasian Journal of PhilosophyTable of ContentsPreface. Acknowledgements. 1. An Analysis of Counterfactuals. Introduction. Strict Conditionals. Variably Strict Conditionals. The Limit Assumption. 'Might' Counterfactuals and Outer Modalities. Impossible Antecedents. True Antecedents. Counterfactual Fallacies. Potentialities. 2. Reformulations. Multiple Modalities. Propositional Quantifiers. Comparative Similarity. Similarity Measures. Comparative Possibility. Cotenability. Selection Functions. The Selection Operator. 3. Comparisons. The Metalinguistic Theory: Implicit Premisis. The Metalinguistic Theory: Factual Premises. The Metalinguistic Theory: Laws of Nature. Stalnaker's Theory. 4. Foundations. Possible Worlds. Similarity. 5. Analogies. Conditional Obligation. 'When Next' and 'When Last'. Contextually Definite Descriptions. 6. Logics. Completeness Results. Decidability Results. Derived Modal Logics. Appendix: Related Writings by David Lewis. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis work is a defence of modal realism, that our world is but one of a plurality of worlds, and that we are only one of many races. Lewis argues that the philosophical utility of modal realism is a good reason for believing that it is true.Table of ContentsPreface. 1. A Philosopher's Paradise. The Thesis of Pluraliry of Worlds. Modal Realism at Work: Modality. Modal Realism at Work: Closeness. Modal Realism at Work: Content. Modal Realism at Work: Properties. Isolation. Concreteness. Plenitude. Actuality. 2. Paradox in Paradise?. Everything is Actual?. All Worlds in One?. More Worlds Than There Are?. How Can We Know?. A Road to Scepticism?. A Road to Indifference?. Arbitrariness Lost?. The Incredulous Stare. 3. Paradise on the Cheap?. The Ersatzist Program. Linguistic Ersatzism. Pictorial Ersatzism. Magical Ersatzism. 4. Counterparts or Double Lives?. Good Questions and Bad. Against Overlap. Against Trans-World Individuals. Against Haecceitism. Against Constancy. Works Cited. Index.

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Book SynopsisContains papers from a conference on realism and relativism. This title includes fifteen substantial papers by leading figures, who have contributed papers representative of their work.Table of ContentsPart I: Metaphysis and Logic:. 1. Realism and Relativism: Akeel Bilgrami. 2. Underdetermination and Realism: Michael Devitt. 3. Quantifier Variance and Realism: Eli Hirsch. 4. Conceptual Relativity and Metaphysical Realism: Terry Horgan and Mark Timmons. 5. Response-dependence without Tears: Frank Jackson and Philip Pettit. 6. Is there a True Metaphysics of Material Objects? Alan Sidelle. 7. Knowledge of the World: Galen Strawson. 8. The Number of Things: Peter van Inwagen. 9. On Logical Relativity: Achille C. Varzi. 10. Abstract Objects: A Case Study: Stephen Yablo. Part II: Metaethics:. 11. Meta-Ethics and Normative Commitment: James Dreier. 12. Earning the Right to Realism or Relativism in Ethics: Carol Rovane. 13. Moral Realism and Indeterminacy: Stephen Schiffer. 14. Moral Relativity and Intuitionism: Walter Sinnott-Armstrong. 15. Exploring the Implications of the Dispositional Theory of Value: Michael Smith. Contributors.

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Book SynopsisEsteemed philosopher Jocelyn Benoist argues for a renewed realism that takes seriously the context in which intention occurs. “What there is”—the traditional subject of metaphysics—can be determined only in context, Benoist contends, carving out a new path that rejects acontextual ontologies and approaches to the mind.Trade ReviewHere, the most erudite and insightful European philosopher brings welcome new perspectives to a variety of recent Anglophone debates. Toward a Contextual Realism breathes fresh air into what might otherwise become insular and sterile modes of philosophy. -- Charles Travis, King’s College LondonWhy should we consider reality to be contextual? Jocelyn Benoist’s stunning contribution to this question will engage scholars well beyond philosophy. A crucial corrective to the unduly restricted notions of context in semiotics and linguistics, this book points to a rigorous way of making the ontologies of others count. Showing grace and patience, Toward a Contextual Realism is a generous invitation to take thought forward. -- Veena Das, Johns Hopkins University

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Book SynopsisKant sought throughout his life to provide a philosophy adequate to the sciences of his time—especially Euclidean geometry and Newtonian physics. Friedman argues that Kant’s efforts to find a metaphysics that could provide a foundation for the sciences is of utmost importance in understanding the development of his philosophical thought.Trade ReviewFriedman masterfully shows how Kant’s ideas arose from the tension between the empirical success of Newtonian physics and the rationalism of Leibniz and Wolff. The resulting philosophy of science is thick with interpretive knots. Friedman patiently unties each, using lucid presentations of the scientific, mathematical, and logical background to motivate his resolutions. Kant and the Exact Sciences is an exciting and important book. -- Mark Risjord * Studies in the History and Philosophy of Science *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction: Metaphysics and Exact Science in the Evolution of Kant's Thought PART ONE: THE CRITICAL PERIOD 1. Geometry 2. Concepts and Intuitions in the Mathematical Sciences 3. Metaphysical Foundations of Newtonian Science 4. Space, the Understanding, and the Law of Gravitation: Prolegomena 38 PART TWO: THE OPUS POSTUMUM 5. Transition from the Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science to Physics I The Transition Project and the Metaphysical Foundations II The Transition Project and Reflective Judgement III The Chemical Revolution IV The Aether-Deduction V The Fate of the Aether-Deduction References and Translations for Kant's Writings General Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSome philosophers regard relativism as neither true nor false but simply incoherent. Carol Rovane demonstrates that the way to defend relativism is not by establishing its truth but by clarifying its content. Some forms of interpersonal engagement are true in themselves but closed off to belief from those who hold irreducibly incompatible truths.Trade ReviewThis is an excellent readable and informative book discussing a particularly interesting kind of "relativism." Perhaps the most important contribution of the book (but by far from the only one) is its careful explication of the relevant sort of relativism as an instance of what Carol Rovane calls "multimundialism," the thesis that one person might reject another's beliefs without supposing that the other beliefs fail to be true. Along the way there is much useful discussion of potentially relevant ideas in the history of philosophy through such twentieth-century figures as Rudolf Carnap, W.V. Quine, Thomas Kuhn, Paul Feyerabend, Richard Rorty, and Donald Davidson. This is the best discussion of relativism that I know of. -- Gilbert Harman, Princeton UniversityIn recent years, the issue of relativism has been hotly discussed by the philosophical community, and a number of good books have been dedicated to the issue. However, to my knowledge no thorough general and methodical analysis has been offered of what the content of this doctrine exactly is. Carol Rovane's The Metaphysics and Ethics of Relativism finally fills this relevant gap in the philosophical literature. This is a thoughtful, original, and very deep book. In the next decades it will very probably represent a milestone in the debate on relativism. -- Mario De Caro, Università Roma Tre and Tufts UniversityRovane breaks new ground in an otherwise-tired debate between ‘relativists,’ ‘objectivists,’ and ‘absolutists.’ One of the book’s signal achievements lies in clarifying the nature of relativism, whether in its metaphysical or ethical guise. People (especially, but not only) from different cultures inhabit different ‘worlds.’ The author calls this ‘multimundialism,’ and it leads to one of her principal substantive theses: a person/people can reject the beliefs of another/others without claiming that the rejected beliefs are false. Ethics, thus, is more than a matter of taste and sentiment. Furthermore, people occupying different ‘worlds’ can rightly reject others’ claims and stay committed to their own without judging those of others to be false. Along the way, Rovane engages with leading contemporary philosophers, including G. Harman, D. Davidson, R. Rorty, and J. Raz…Rovane’s book deserves a careful reading; it is thoughtful, thorough, substantive, clear, and challenging. -- H. Oberdiek * Choice *

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Book SynopsisThe goal of philosophers is truth, but for a century or more they have been bothered by Nietzsche's question, What is the good of truth? Barry Allen shows what truth has come to mean in the philosophical tradition, what is wrong with many conceptions of truth, and why philosophers refuse to confront squarely the question of the value of truth.Trade ReviewTwo related yet distinct questions are the central ostensible concerns of this book: what is the objection to a correspondence theory of truth?; why—if we should—should we consider truth to be the ultimate value? These questions are considered in the light of the work of six philosophers: Nietzsche; William James; Heidegger; Derrida; Wittgenstein; and Foucault… [A] thoroughly interesting and valuable book. -- Hugh V. McLachlan * The Philosopher *A good, provocative, and important book. It explains the views of a set of important continental philosophers in a way that will be accessible to students… At the same time, this is not an attempt to sugarcoat continental philosophy for analytic consumption. The views Allen defends—clearly and effectively—are views that I myself am committed to combatting and that I am certain most analytic philosophers will want to combat. But that is all the more reason for reading this book. -- Hilary Putnam, Harvard UniversityTruth in Philosophy does an excellent job explaining that there is in recent continental philosophy (Nietzsche, Heidegger, Derrida, and Foucault) a viable theory of truth. Allen’s book has the additional virtue of providing this explanation against a remarkably clear account of the historical background of the ancient Greek and early modern theories of truth criticized by the late-modern and post-modern continental thinkers. -- David Hoy, University of California, Santa CruzTable of ContentsAbbreviations Prologue Part 1: Historical Introduction 1. Classical Philosophy of Truth 2. Modern Truth Part 2: Nietzsche's Question 3. Nietzsche, or A Scandal of the Truth 4. William James, or Pragmatism Part 3: From Nature to History, From Being to Politics 5. Heidegger, or The Truth of Being 6. Derrida, or Difference Unlimited 7. Wittgenstein, or The Aufhebung of Logic 8. Foucault, or Truth in Politics Epilogue Notes Acknowledgments Index

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