Contemporary Philosophy

Introduces English-language philosophy since 1945. A brief description of the first half of the 20th century is followed by discussions of the work of such people as Ryle and Wittgenstein, followed by an examination of the debates current at the beginning of the 21st century. This accessible and up-to-date survey introduces the central debates of English-language philosophy since 1945. A brief description of philosophical debates during the first half of the twentieth century is followed by extended discussions of some of the writings of Wittgenstein, Ryle, Austin, Quine, and Sellars. The book then describes several ensuing philosophical debates that have shaped philosophical discussions from the 1960s until the present day. There are chapters on: the Davidson/Dummett debate concerning language; the Kripke/Lewis debate concerning possible worlds; the Popper/Kuhn debate concerning science; the debates concerning epistemology, materialism, functionalism, and dual-aspect theories of mind; and recent work in moral psychology, metaethics, and normative ethics. The final chapter is a critical discussion of Rorty's metaphilosophical scepticism. In addition, there is extensive attention to writings of Strawson, Putnam, Evans, McDowell, Williams, Nagel, and many other contemporary philosophers. Thomas Baldwin's lively and coherent critical discussion of his subject demonstrates the connections between different areas of philosophy in a way which readers unfamiliar with philosophy will find both stimulating and accessible.