(Blackwell Companions to Philosophy) 1st Edition
by Alan Malachowski (Editor)
A groundbreaking reference work on the revolutionary philosophy and intellectual legacy of Richard Rorty
A
provocative and often controversial thinker, Richard Rorty and his
ideas have been the subject of renewed interest to philosophers working
in epistemology, metaphysics, analytic philosophy, and the history of
philosophy. Having called for philosophers to
abandon representationalist accounts of knowledge and language, Rorty
introduced radical and challenging concepts to modern philosophy,
generating divisive debate through the new form of American pragmatism
which he advocated and the renunciation of traditional epistemology
which he espoused.
However, while Rorty has been one of the most
widely-discussed figures in modern philosophy, few volumes have dealt
directly with the expansive reach of his thought or its implications for
the fields of philosophy in which he worked. The Blackwell Companion to Rorty
is a collection of essays by prominent scholars which provide close,
and long-overdue, examination of Rorty’s groundbreaking work. Divided
into five parts, this volumecovers the major intellectual movements of
Rorty’s career from his early work on consciousness and transcendental
arguments, to the lasting impacts of his major writings, to his approach
to pragmatism and his controversial appropriations from other
philosophers, and finally to his later work in culture, politics, and
ethics.
- Offers a comprehensive, balanced, and insightful account of Rorty's approach to philosophy
- Provides an assessment of Rorty’s more controversial thoughts and his standing as an “anti-philosopher’s philosopher”
- Contains new and original exploration of Rorty’s thinking from leading scholars and philosophers
- Includes new perspectives on topics such as Rorty's influence in Central Europe
Despite
the relevance of Rorty’s work for the wider community of philosophers
and for those working in fields such as international relations, legal
and political theory, sociology, and feminist studies, the secondary
literature surrounding Rorty’s work and legacy is limited. A Companion to Rorty address this absence, providinga comprehensive resource for philosophers and general readers.
