
Truth, Rationality and Pragmatism
Themes from Peirce
Christopher Hookway(Author)
Clarendon Press
Published on 18. May 2000
Book
Hardback
322 pages
978-0-19-823836-2 (ISBN)
Description
Christopher Hookway presents a series of studies of themes from the work of the great American philosopher Charles S. Peirce (1839-1914), often described as the founder of pragmatism. These themes centre on the question how we are able to investigate the world rationally; Peirce's ideas about this continue to play an important role in philosophy, logic, and semiotics, as Hookway shows. After an extended examination of Peirce's account of truth, and of its relations to his ideas about logic, reference, and representation, Hookway discusses his claim that rationality requires a system of 'scientific metaphysics'. The second half of the book studies the role of common sense, sentiments, and emotions in rationality. It concludes with discussions of Peirce's approach to religious belief and the role of pragmatism in his thought. These compelling essays (many of them published here for the first time) present the fruits of fifteen years of research on Peirce, but do so in a way that makes his ideas accessible and relevant for philosophers who are not specialists in the history of American thought.
The introduction offers a general sketch of Peirce's philosophy as a way into the book for such readers, and draws together the themes of the essays.
The introduction offers a general sketch of Peirce's philosophy as a way into the book for such readers, and draws together the themes of the essays.
Reviews / Votes
Truth, Rationality, and Pragmatism is the best thing to happen to Peirce's scholarship in a long time. It will help to make Peirce's views, especially those about truth, much more prominent on the contemporary philosophical map MIND Whether or not you are interested in Charles Sanders Peirce you should read this book. For it is good for your soul to be exposed to such a brilliant exercise in the history of philosophy. Hookway combines a bulldog-like reading of the text, in which numerous aporiai are brought to the fore, with a Houdini-like ability to escape from them. It takes someone who is a very good philosopher in his own right to accomplish this. The Peirce who emerges from this imaginative reconstruction and extension of the text is a very exciting philosopher, who has a lot to say to present-day colleagues Richard M. Gale, The Philosophical QuarterlyMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Oxford University Press
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Weight
594 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-823836-2 (9780198238362)
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Schweitzer Classification