Contemporary Philosophy Philosophy in English since 1945 A History of Western Philosophy Series

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.

1: Setting the scene: 1945, 2: Investigating Wittgenstein, 3: The Oxford Movement, 4: The American point of view, 5: Understanding Language, 6: Exploring the possibilities, 7: The scientific paradigm, 8: Natural Doubts, 9: Aspects of Mind, 10: Questions of Value, 11: The End of Philosophy?, References and Further Reading

Thomas Baldwin is Professor and Head of the Philosophy Department at the University of York. His previous posts include lectureships at Makerere University (Uganda) and Cambridge University.