
Tracks in Chaos
Philosophical Orientation and Political Reflection
Raymond Geuss(Author)
Polity Press
1st Edition
Published on 10. April 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
216 pages
978-1-5095-7344-8 (ISBN)
Description
When political action is imperative, we can be tempted to look to philosophy for guiding principles. This project, however, historically has been doomed to fail. Throughout Tracks in Chaos, philosopher Raymond Geuss examines closely the consequences of this failure. In crisp and lucid prose, he ranges over topics that include political realism, reflection in politics, universalism, solidarity, our utopian aspirations, and the role of fear in motivating censorship. Geuss ultimately paints a picture that is both rich and uncompromising, as is his conclusion: that we must learn to accept incompleteness, contingency and pluralism in our search for orientation.
This is an incisive and elegant new collection of essays by one of our finest moral and political philosophers.
This is an incisive and elegant new collection of essays by one of our finest moral and political philosophers.
Reviews / Votes
"Raymond Geuss is profoundly disappointed by what academic philosophy has become. These historically rich, provocative and consistently deep essays stake out a different path, one that aspires to reconnect philosophy to actual human struggle. Tracks in Chaos forwards a critical theory devoid of illusions, animated throughout by a subterranean vein of hope."Espen Hammer, Temple University
"Nobody on the contemporary scene better embodies the ethos of critical theory than Raymond Geuss, and this latest volume brings his long-standing debate with traditional philosophy and its quest for foundations to a new pitch of intensity. Indispensable."
Jacob McNulty, Yale University
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 230 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
310 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5095-7344-8 (9781509573448)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
05/2026
1st Edition
Wiley-Scrivener
€17.99
Available for download

E-Book
05/2026
1st Edition
Wiley-Scrivener
€17.99
Available for download

Book
approx. 04/2026
1st Edition
Polity Press
€68.50
Not yet published
Person
Raymond Geuss is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. His books include Seeing Double, Not Thinking Like a Liberal, Changing the Subject, Reality and Its Dreams, Who Needs a World View?, and The Idea of a Critical Theory.
Content
Preface and Acknowledgements
1. These interminable discussions that lead nowhere
2. He/she/they and we ourselves
4. Republic, democracy, electronics
5. Realism, yet again
6. Universalism
7. Must philosophy know its own history?
8. On Alasdair MacIntyre
9. Some varieties of utopia
10. Don't say that - you're frightening me
11. Solidarity
12. A conversation on politics
Notes
Index
1. These interminable discussions that lead nowhere
2. He/she/they and we ourselves
4. Republic, democracy, electronics
5. Realism, yet again
6. Universalism
7. Must philosophy know its own history?
8. On Alasdair MacIntyre
9. Some varieties of utopia
10. Don't say that - you're frightening me
11. Solidarity
12. A conversation on politics
Notes
Index