Wilfrid Sellars (1912-1989) has been called the most profound and
systematic epistemological thinker of the twentieth century. Many
of his ideas have become widely acknowledged, including his attack
on the "myth of the given," his functionalist treatment
of intentional states, his proposal that psychological concepts are
like theoretical concepts, and his suggestion that attributions of
knowledge locate the knower "in the logical space of
reasons." Notoriously difficult to understand, Sellars'
essays are not only complex but were never situated within a
unified exposition of his thought.. Willem deVries addresses these
difficulties and provides a careful reading and remarkable overview
of Sellars' systematic philosophy. This clear, comprehensive,
and authoritative work will become the standard point of reference
for all philosophers seeking to understand Sellars's hugely
significant body of work.
