A System of Pragmatic Idealism, Volume II : The Validity of Values, A Normative Theory of Evaluative Rationality

This is the second of the three volumes of A System of Pragmatic Idealism, a series that will synthesize the life's work of the philosopher Nicholas Rescher. Rescher's numerous books and articles, which address almost every major philosophical topic, reflect a unified approach: the combination of pragmatism and idealism characteristic of his thinking throughout his career. The three related but independently readable books of the series present Rescher's system as a whole. In combining leading ideas of European continental idealism and American pragmatism in a new way, Rescher has created an integrated philosophical position in which the central concepts of these two traditions become a coherent totality. The initial volume in the series was dedicated to epistemology, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of nature. In The Validity of Values, Rescher sets out a normative theory of rationality. Looking at issues of value theory, ethics, and practical philosophy, this second volume of the trilogy has as its theme the utility of values for a proper understanding of ourselves and the world we live in. Rescher's key thesis, which is argued from various angles and points of departure, is that rationality as such and in general is bound up with the theory and practice of rational evaluation. The third volume of the series will deal with the nature of philosophical inquiry itself.Originally published in 1993.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. This is the second of the three volumes of A System of Pragmatic Idealism, a series that will synthesize the life's work of the philosopher Nicholas Rescher. Rescher's numerous books and articles, which address almost every major philosophical topic, reflect a unified the combination of pragmatism and idealism characteristic of his thinking throughout his career. The three related but independently readable books of the series present Rescher's system as a whole. In combining leading ideas of European continental idealism and American pragmatism in a new way, Rescher has created an integrated philosophical position in which the central concepts of these two traditions become a coherent totality. The initial volume in the series was dedicated to epistemology, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of nature. In The Validity of Values, Rescher sets out a normative theory of rationality. Looking at issues of value theory, ethics, and practical philosophy, this second volume of the trilogy has as its theme the utility of values for a proper understanding of ourselves and the world we live in. Rescher's key thesis, which is argued from various angles and points of departure, is that rationality as such and in general is bound up with the theory and practice of rational evaluation. The third volume of the series will deal with the nature of philosophical inquiry itself. Originally published in 1993. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. Cover Title Page Contents List of Displays Preface Introduction Part I: Values and Reasons One: The Reach of Reason Two: Maximization, Optimization, and Rationality Three: The Rationality of Values and Evaluations Part II: Science and Human Values Four: How Wide Is the Gap between Facts and Values? Five: Values in the Face of Natural Science Part III: Values and Human Nature Six: What Is a Person? Seven: The Power of Ideals Eight: The Meaning of Life Part IV: Values and Morality Nine: Optimism and Pessimism Ten: Moral Objectivity (Are There Moral Facts?) Eleven: Moral Values as Immune to Relativism Twelve: Moral Rationality: Why Be Moral? Part V: Values and Rationality Thirteen: Rationality and Happiness Fourteen: Values, Pragmatism, and Idealism Bibliography Name Index Subject Index Machine generated contents note: PART I: VALUES AND REASONS One The Reach of Reason Two Maximization, Optimization, and Rationality Three The Rationality of Values and Evaluations PART II: SCIENCE AND HUMAN VALUES Four How Wide Is the Gap between Facts and Values? Five Values in the Face of Natural Science PART III: VALUES AND HUMAN NATURE Six What Is a Person? Seven The Power of Ideals Eight The Meaning of Life PART IV: VALUES AND MORALITY Nine Optimism and Pessimism Ten Moral Objectivity (Are There Moral Facts?) Eleven Moral Values as Immune to Relativism Twelve Moral Rationality: Why Be Moral? PART V: VALUES AND RATIONALITY Thirteen Rationality and Happiness Fourteen Values, Pragmatism, and Idealism Bibliography Name Index Subject Index. Part of a three-volume set which records the life's work of the author, this text examines the nature of philosophical inquiry, seeking to affirm the classical conception of philosophy as a significant problem-solving enterprise that draws on the entire range of human experience. This is the second of three volumes that synthesize the life's work of the philosopher Nicholas Rescher. Focusing on the normative theory of rationality, the monograph has as its theme the utility of values for a proper understanding of ourselves and the world we live in. v. 1. Human knowledge in idealistic perspective v. 2. A normative theory of evaluative rationality v. 3. Metaphilosophical inquiries. v. 1. Human knowledge in idealistic perspective v. 2. The validity of values v. 3. Metaphilosophical inquiries..