Uncommon Sense

Reviews / Votes

Andrew Pessin's Uncommon Sense is an uncommonly good introduction to philosophy, unpretentious in its style, and unerring in its sense of humor. It will provide both entertainment and insight to those seeking wisdom from philosophy's most incredible theories. As a philosophical tour guide for the uninitiated, Pessin is unbeatable. -- Sandy Goldberg, Northwestern University Uncommon Sense is the fruit of a brilliant idea carried out with panache. The ideas explored are esoteric in the extreme, but Andrew Pessin's explanations are clear, down to earth, entertaining, and accessible. This book is an absolute goldmine for general readers curious about philosophy. -- Gregg Osborne, Washington and Jefferson College A key to understanding this book is furnished by the author's claim that 'common sense is what we believe about things when we haven't given them much thought.' So Pessin (Connecticut College) turns to what he calls strange claims of philosophers to introduce such topics as free will, God, morality, minds, and reality. The usual names appear--Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Anselm, Maimonides, Aquinas, Descartes, Locke, and Hume. Also featured are Malebranche and Leibniz on the question of mind-body interaction, Berkeley on the nature of the external world, and Nietzsche's program for rewriting the grounds of morality. Pessin also includes contemporary philosophers John McTaggart on time, Wittgenstein on private language, Hilary Putnam on the nature of thinking, and David Lewis on possible worlds theory. The last of 18 chapters considers the view of Thomas Nagel and David Chalmers that something like mind permeates all reality. The chapters are short, the writing clear, and the tone entertaining. Each chapter contains primary and secondary sources, and the book has a good index. Looking for a book to give to someone to create interest in philosophy? This is it. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates; general readers. * Choice Reviews *