Description

Many philosophers these days consider themselves naturalists, but it's doubtful any two of them intend the same position by the term. In Second Philosophy , Penelope Maddy describes and practices a particularly austere form of naturalism called "Second Philosophy". Without a definitive criterion for what counts as "science" and what doesn't, Second Philosophy can't be specified directly ("trust only the methods of science" for example), so Maddy proceeds instead by illustrating the behaviors of an idealized inquirer she calls the "Second Philosopher". mhis Second Philosopher begins from perceptual common sense experimentation, theory formation and testing, working all the while to asses, correct and improve her methods as she goes. Second Philosophy is then the result of the Second Philosopher's investigations.

Maddy delineates the Second Philosopher's approach by tracing her reactions to various familiar skeptical and transcendental views (Descartes, Kant, Carnap, late Putnam, van Fraassen), comparing her methods to those of other self-described naturalists (especially Quine), and examining a prominent contemporary debate (between disquotationalists and correspondence theorists in the theory of truth) to extract a properly second-philosophical line of thought. She then undertakes to practice Second Philosophy in her reflections on the ground of logical truth, the methodology, ontology and epistemology of mathematics, and the general prospects for metaphysics naturalized.

Features

• Magnum opus by award-winning philosopher of science
• An ambitious project that sets out what it is to practise philosophy 'scientifically'
• Redefines naturalism and the metaphysical status of logic and mathematics

Reviews

"The book is excellent: the thesis is refreshing, the presentation clear and forthright, the argumentation careful, the research thorough and informed. It contains a wealth of material that should appeal to far more readers than those of us who are already susceptible to second philosophy. It presents the best exploration and defense of naturalism I know of."--Michael Liston, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

Product Details

368 pages; ISBN13: 978-0-19-927366-9ISBN10: 0-19-927366-9

About the Author(s)