The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy (Blackwell Companions to Philosophy)

The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy edited by Bunnin and Tsui-James provides a collection of contemporary essays on a wide-range of philosophical subjects. I offer the following thoughts for potential readers. Sometimes introductory texts take a chronological approach to issues presenting readers with selections from different time periods (Pojman's excellent Introduction to Philosophy is an example of this style). The Blackwell Companion takes a different, but also effective, tact of presenting the subjects from the perspective of modern commentators. Though both styles have their appeal, I am partial to the former - I think it gives a more well-rounded introduction to new students. Although there is some discussion of ancient, medieval and continental philosophy, most of the essays fall within the realm of what could be called the western analytical tradition. All essays also have suggestions for further reading as well as excellent bibliographies. I think that many philosophy students will find these helpful. On a more specific note I found the essays on the philosophy of religion and the philosophy of science to be particularly well done. Whereas, I did not find Searle's introductory piece helpful. He is an accomplished philosopher, however, I have a hard time getting past the ego - this may not be a distraction to others. I also do not find the essays on applied ethics or feminism and philosophy to be appropriate. With regard to the former, though I have personal interest in applied ethics I do not thing it is a good fit in an introductory text. While with reference to the later, I think feminism and philosophy is misguided - somewhat along the lines of left handers and philosophy. Despite these minor reservations it is an outstanding reference. I highly recommend the Blackwell series as well as the Big Questions collections to interested readers. Front Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 Preface to the Second Edition......Page 10 Preface to the First Edition......Page 11 Notes on Contributors......Page 13 Contemporary Philosophy in the United States - John R. Searle......Page 20 Contemporary Philosophy: A Second Look - Bernard Williams......Page 42 PART I: AREAS OF PHILOSOPHY......Page 54 1. Epistemology – A. C. Grayling......Page 55 2. Metaphysics – Simon Blackburn, with a section on Time by Robin Le Poidevin......Page 79 3. Philosophy of Language – Martin Davies......Page 108 4. Philosophy of Logic – A. W. Moore......Page 165 5. Philosophy of Mind – William G. Lycan......Page 191 6. Ethics – John Skorupski......Page 220 7. Aesthetics – Sebastian Gardner......Page 249 8. Political and Social Philosophy – David Archard......Page 275 9. Philosophy of Science – David Papineau......Page 304 10. Philosophy of Biology – Elliott Sober......Page 335 11. Philosophy of Mathematics – Mary Tiles......Page 363 12. Philosophy of Social Science – Martin Hollis......Page 393 13. Philosophy of Law – N. E. Simmonds......Page 421 14. Philosophy of History – Leon Pompa......Page 446 15. Philosophy of Religion – Charles Taliaferro......Page 471 16. Applied Ethics – John Haldane......Page 508 17. Bioethics, Genethics and Medical Ethics – Rebecca Bennett, Charles A. Erin, John Harris and Søren Holm......Page 517 18. Environmental Ethics – Holmes Rolston, III......Page 535 19. Business Ethics – Georges Enderle......Page 549 20. Philosophy and Feminism – Jean Grimshaw and Miranda Fricker......Page 570 21. Ethnicity, Culture and Philosophy – Robert Bernasconi......Page 585 PART II: HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY......Page 600 22. Ancient Greek Philosophy – Robert Wardy......Page 601 23. Plato and Aristotle – Lesley Brown......Page 617 24. Medieval Philosophy – Jorge J. E. Gracia......Page 635 25. Bacon – Stephen Gaukroger......Page 650 26. Descartes and Malebranche – Richard Francks and George Macdonald Ross......Page 660 27. Spinoza and Leibniz – Richard Francks and George Macdonald Ross......Page 674 28. Hobbes – Tom Sorell......Page 687 29. Locke – R. S. Woolhouse......Page 698 30. Berkeley – Howard Robinson......Page 710 31. Hume – Peter Jones......Page 725 32. Kant – David Bell......Page 741 33. Hegel – Michael Inwood......Page 757 34. Marx – Richard Norman......Page 766 35. Bentham, Mill and Sidgwick – Ross Harrison......Page 775 36. Pragmatism – Susan Haack......Page 790 37. Frege and Russell – R. M. Sainsbury......Page 806 38. Moore – Thomas Baldwin......Page 821 39. Wittgenstein – David Pears......Page 827 40. Nietzsche – David E. Cooper......Page 843 41. Husserl and Heidegger – Taylor Carman......Page 858 42. Sartre, Foucault and Derrida – Gary Gutting......Page 876 Glossary......Page 891 Appendix......Page 909 Index......Page 921 Back Cover......Page 969 Presents an exploration of the issues, controversies and problems that arise from the study of philosophy. This book includes chapters on the philosophy of biology; bioethics, genethics, and medical ethics; environmental ethics; business ethics; ethnicity, culture and philosophy; Plato and Aristotle; medieval philosophy; and, Nietzsche.

This fully revised and updated edition of Nicholas Bunnin and E.P. Tsui-James' popular introductory philosophy textbook brings together specially-commissioned chapters from a prestigious team of scholars writing on each of the key areas, figures and movements in philosophy.

Presents contributions by 35 philosophers which explore problems, disputes and influential views arising in the study of major areas of philosophy, important specialized fields and the work of great historical figures. For most of the modern period of philosophy, from Descartes to the present, epistemology has been the central philosophical discipline.