Modern Philosophy: An Introduction and Survey

by Roger Scruton

Overview

Roger Scruton is one of the most widely respected philosophers of our time, whose often provocative views never fail to simulate debate. In Modern Philosophy he turns his attention to the whole of the field, from the philosophy of logic to aesthetics, and in so doing provides us with an essential and comprehensive guide to modern thinking.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781448210510
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	11/26/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	650
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Roger Scruton was born in 1944. He is a conservative English philosopher and writer, and author of over 30 books, including several novels and two operas.

Scruton was a lecturer and professor of aesthetics at Birkbeck College, London, from 1971 to 1992. In 1982 he helped found The Salisbury Review, a conservative political journal, which he edited for 18 years. Since 1992 he has held part-time positions at Boston University, the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., and the University of St Andrews. He also founded the Claridge Press in 1987, and sits on the editorial board of the British Journal of Aesthetics. He serves in addition as a member of the International Advisory Board of the Center for European Renewal.
Sir Roger Scruton is a graduate of Jesus College, Cambridge. He has been Professor of Aesthetics at Birkbeck College, London, and University Professor at Boston University. He is currently visiting professor of philosophy at the University of Oxford and Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington DC. He has published a large number of books, including some works of fiction, and has written and composed two operas. He writes regularly for the Times, the Daily Telegraph, the Spectator and was for many years wine critic of the New Statesman.

Table of Contents

Modern Philosophy1. The Nature of Philosophy
2. Scepticism
3. Some More-isms
4. Self, Mind and Body
5. The Private Language Argument
6. Sense and Reference
7. Descriptions and Logical Form
8. Things and Properties
9. Truth
10. Appearance and Reality
11. God
12. Being
13. Necessity and the a priori
14. Cause
15. Science
16. The Soul
17. Freedom
18. The Human World
19. Meaning
20. Morality
21. Life, Death and Identity
22. Knowledge
23. Perception
24. Imagination
25. Space and Time
26. Mathematics
27. Paradox
28. Objective Spirit
29. Subjective Spirit
30. The Devil
31. Self and Other
Study Guide
Index

Editorial Reviews

This extensive survey of topics in modern philosophy as taught in English-speaking universities consists of two parts, about 500 and 100 pages, respectively. The former is the text that presents the ideas, theses, and arguments themselves; and the latter is a study guide that elucidates details, suggests topics for discussion, and names readings that expand the main text. The book is clearly written and well proportioned. By choosing sensibly which complexities to ignore, Scruton (The Classical Vernacular, St. Martin's, 1995) explains material no more technically and at no greater length than is necessary for nonprofessional readers to get the hang of it. Unfortunately, his penchant for making invidious remarks occasionally mars his exposition, but readers who inure themselves to this habit will cease to be distracted. Recommended for large public libraries and for academic philosophy collections.-Robert Hoffman, York Coll., CUNY

Library Journal