Preface Introduction: A Few Preliminaries
CHAPTER 1: MIND 1.1. Introduction 1.2. Descartes: The beginnings of
modern philosophy of mind 1.3. The private-language argument 1.4.
Computers as models of the mind 1.5. Why should there be a
functionalist theory? 1.6. Functionalism: A first problem 1.7. A
simple-minded functionalist theory of pain 1.8. Ramsey's solution
to the first problem 1.9. Functionalism: A second problem 1.10. M
again 1.11. Consciousness 1.12. The puzzle of the physical 1.13.
Conclusion
CHAPTER 2: KNOWLEDGE 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Plato: Knowledge as
justified true belief 2.3. Descartes' way: Justification requires
certainty 2.4. Locke's way: Justification can be less than certain
2.5. The foundations of knowledge 2.6. Ways around skepticism I:
Verificationism 2.7. Ways around skepticism II: Causal theories of
knowledge 2.8. Causal theories contrasted with traditional accounts
of justification 2.9. Epistemology naturalized 2.10. Conclusion
CHAPTER 3: LANGUAGE 3.1. Introduction 3.2. The linguistic turn 3.3.
The beetle in the box 3.4. Frege's "sense" and "reference" 3.5.
Predicates and open sentences 3.6. Problems of intensionality 3.7.
Truth conditions and possible worlds 3.8. Analytic-synthetic and
necessary-contingent 3.9. Natural language and logical form 3.10.
Using logic: Truth preservation, probability, and the lottery
paradox 3.11. Logical truth and logical properties 3.12.
Conventions of language 3.13. The paradox of analysis 3.14.
Conclusion
CHAPTER 4: SCIENCE 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Description and
prescription 4.3. An example: Gregor Mendel's genetic theory 4.4.
Theory and observation 4.5. The received view of theories 4.6. The
deductive-nomological model of explanation 4.7. Theory reduction
and instrumentalism 4.8. Theory-ladenness 4.9. Justifying theories
I: The problem of induction 4.10. Goodman's new riddle of induction
4.11. Justifying theories II: Popper and falsification 4.12.
Justifying theories III: Inference to the best explanation 4.13.
Laws and causation 4.14. Conclusion
CHAPTER 5: MORALITY 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Facts and values 5.3.
Realism and emotivism 5.4. Intuitionism 5.5. Emotivism again 5.6.
Kant's universalizability principle 5.7. Dealing with relativism
5.8. Prescriptivism and supervenience 5.9. Problems of
utilitarianism I: Defining "utility" 5.10. Problems of
utilitarianism II: Consequentialism versus absolutism 5.11. Rights
5.12. Self and others 5.13. Conclusion
CHAPTER 6: POLITICS 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Hobbes: Escaping the
state of nature 6.3. Problems for Hobbes 6.4. Game theory I:
Two-person zero-sum games 6.5. Game theory II: The prisoners'
dilemma 6.6. The limits of prudence 6.7. Rawl's theory of justice
6.8. The difference principle and inequality surpluses 6.9.
Criticizing Rawls I: The structure of his argument 6.10.
Criticizing Rawls II: Why maximin? 6.11. Criticizing Rawls III: The
status of the two principles 6.12. Reflective equilibrium 6.13. Are
the two principles right? 6.14. Nozick: Beginning with rights 6.15.
The entitlement theory 6.16. Ethics and politics 6.17.
Conclusion
CHAPTER 7: LAW 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Defining "law" I: Positivism
and natural law 7.3. Defining "law" II: Legal systems and the
variety of laws 7.4. Hart: The elements of a legal system 7.5.
Punishment: The problem 7.6. Justifying punishment: Deterrence 7.7.
Retributivism: Kant's objections 7.8. Combining deterrence and
retribution 7.9. Deterrence theory again 7.10. Why do definitions
matter? 7.11. Conclusion
CHAPTER 8: METAPHYSICS 8.1. Introduction 8.2. An example: The
existence of numbers 8.3. "God" as a proper name 8.4. The necessary
being 8.5. Hume: No a priori proofs of matters of fact 8.6. Kant:
"Existence: is not a predicate 8.7. A posteriori arguments 8.8. The
argument from design 8.9. The harmony of nature 8.10. The necessity
of a creative intelligence 8.11. Hume's argument from design: The
argument from experience 8.12. The problem of evil and inference to
the best explanation 8.13. Conclusion
CHAPTER 9: PHILOSOPHY 9.1. Introduction 9.2. Traditional thought
9.3. Arguing with the Azande 9.4. The significance of literacy 9.5.
Cognitive relativism 9.6. The argument against strong relativism
9.7. The argument for weak relativism 9.8. Philosophy and religion
9.9. Philosophy and science 9.10. An example: Free will and
determinism 9.11. Compatibilism and moral responsibility 9.12. The
special character of philosophy 9.13. Conclusion Notes Index
An engaging guide to the central questions of contemporary philosophy by one of today's most respected thinkers
Organisation is this book's strong suit. Arranged around eight central concepts - mind, knowledge, language, science, morality, politics, law and metaphysics - this is as clear a horizon as anyone making le tour could wish. Times Higher Education Supplement
Organisation is this book's strong suit. Arranged around eight central concepts - mind, knowledge, language, science, morality, politics, law and metaphysics - this is as clear a horizon as anyone making le tour could wish. Times Higher Education Supplement
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