Rescher

Gebundenes Buch

Philosophical Reasoning

Beschreibung

This book is a study in the methodology of philosophical inquiry. Accordingly, it is a venture in metaphilosophy, perhaps the most controversial of philosophical disciplines. Philosophy is caught in a dilemma. On one hand, its omission as a legitimate venture in empirical inquiry requires its looking to "the big picture" and striving to counteract the fragmented specialization of other cognitive domains. On the other hand, philosophy does not and cannot avert division of labor. Thus, it remains committed to the quest for unity and coherence in our understanding of the nature of things in a world where our knowledge is exploding in scope and in complexity. Philosophical Reasoning explores this difficult situation and clarifies its implications by expounding and defending the following thesis: that systematization is the proper instrument of philosophical inquiry, and that the effective pursuit of philosophy's mission calls for constructing a doctrinal system that answers our questions in a coherent and comprehensive manner.

Autor

Nicholas Rescher is University Professor of Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh where he served for many years as Director of the Center for Philosophy of Science. A Former president of the American Philosophical Association, he is an honorary member of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He is the author of more than eighty works ranging over many areas of philosophy and was awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Prize for Humanistic Scholarship in 1984.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: John Wiley & Sons
• Seitenzahl: 296
• Erscheinungstermin: 3. Oktober 2001
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 240mm x 161mm x 21mm
• Gewicht: 613g
• ISBN-13: 9780631230175
• ISBN-10: 0631230173
• Artikelnr.: 21875241

Rezensionen

"Philosophical Reasoning is a probing and commanding studyof the methodology of philosophical inquiry. It is an excellentbook on the difficult subject of how one should philosophize andwhat we can reasonably expect of philosophy, and a breath of freshair falling between the extremes of philosophy as natural scienceand philosophy as the purely a priori. A very intriguing,articulate and convincing story of the nature of an art Rescher haspracticed so well for so long for the benefit of so many. Istrongly recommend it." Robert Almeder, Georgia StateUniversity

"Philosophy aims at rationally constructed comprehensiveness,now more collectively/dialectically and lessindividually/reflectively than in the past. So argues NicolasRescher in this systematic defense of system. If philosophicalabout their practice, philosophers who pick up this book won'teasily put it down, even if in the end they disagree." ErnestSosa, Brown University

"What makes the book such a pleasure to read is that it combinesthe precision and thoroughness of a master philosopher with awriting style that makes for easy reading. This is a book whichboth novices and experts should read to help both understand thenature of their enterprise better." Philosophy in Review