The Last WordOxford University Press, 1997 - 147 pagina's If there is such a thing as reason, it has to be universal. Reason must reflect objective principles whose validity is independent of our point of view - principles that anyone with enough intelligence ought to be able to recognize as correct. But this universality of reason is what relativists and subjectivists deny in ever-increasing numbers. And such subjectivism is not just an inconsequential intellectual flourish or badge of theoretical chic. It is exploited to deflect argument and to belittle the pretensions of the arguments of others. The continuing spread of this relativistic way of thinking threatens to make public discourse increasingly difficult and unproductive. In The Last Word, Thomas Nagel, one of the most influential philosophers writing in English, presents a sustained defense of reason against the attacks of subjectivism, delivering systematic rebuttals of relativistic claims with respect to language, logic, science, and ethics. He shows that the last word in disputes about the objective validity of any form of thought must lie in some unqualified thoughts about how things are - thoughts that we cannot regard from outside as mere psychological dispositions. His work sets a new standard in the debate on this crucially important question and should generate intense interest both within and outside the philosophical community. |
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The Last Word Professor of Philosophy and Fiorello Laguardia Professor of Law Thomas Nagel,Thomas Nagel Gedeeltelijke weergave - 1997 |
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accept actual alternative answer appearances applies argument arithmetic attempt believe capacity challenge claim conception conclusion consider consistent contingent correct criticism cultural decide depend desires discover domain doubt empirical equality ethics evidence evolutionary example existence experience explanation expression external fact fundamental further give given grounds human hypothesis idea impossible interpretation judgments justification kind language laws leads less limit logic mathematical mean merely methods mind moral natural objective observations one's ourselves particular perhaps person philosophical picture point of view position possible practical practical reason proposal proposition psychological qualify question rational reach reality reason reduction reflection regard relation rely require response result rule seems sense simply skepticism someone subjective subjectivism subjectivist supposed theory things thought tion true truth understanding universal University Press validity Wittgenstein
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After Postmodernism: An Introduction to Critical Realism Jose Lopez,Garry Potter Gedeeltelijke weergave - 2005 |