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. The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy......Page 1 Blackwell Companions to Philosophy......Page 3 Contents......Page 6 Notes on Contributors......Page 8 Preface to the Second Edition......Page 15 Preface to the First Edition......Page 16 Contemporary Philosophy in the United States......Page 18 Contemporary Philosophy: A Second Look......Page 40 PART I AREAS OF PHILOSOPHY......Page 52 1 Epistemology......Page 53 2 Metaphysics......Page 77 3 Philosophy of Language......Page 106 4 Philosophy of Logic......Page 163 5 Philosophy of Mind......Page 189 6 Ethics......Page 218 7 Aesthetics......Page 247 8 Political and Social Philosophy......Page 273 9 Philosophy of Science......Page 302 10 Philosophy of Biology......Page 333 11 Philosophy of Mathematics......Page 361 12 Philosophy of Social Science......Page 391 13 Philosophy of Law......Page 419 14 Philosophy of History......Page 444 15 Philosophy of Religion......Page 469 16 Applied Ethics......Page 506 17 Bioethics, Genethics and Medical Ethics......Page 515 18 Environmental Ethics......Page 533 19 Business Ethics......Page 547 20 Philosophy and Feminism......Page 568 21 Ethnicity, Culture and Philosophy......Page 583 PART II HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY......Page 598 22 Ancient Greek Philosophy......Page 599 23 Plato and Aristotle......Page 615 24 Medieval Philosophy......Page 633 25 Bacon......Page 648 26 Descartes and Malebranche......Page 658 27 Spinoza and Leibniz......Page 672 28 Hobbes......Page 685 29 Locke......Page 696 30 Berkeley......Page 708 31 Hume......Page 723 32 Kant......Page 739 33 Hegel......Page 755 34 Marx......Page 764 35 Bentham, Mill and Sidgwick......Page 773 36 Pragmatism......Page 788 37 Frege and Russell......Page 804 38 Moore......Page 819 39 Wittgenstein......Page 825 40 Nietzsche......Page 841 41 Husserl and Heidegger......Page 856 42 Sartre, Foucault and Derrida......Page 874 Glossary......Page 889 Appendix......Page 907 Index......Page 919 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. Edited By Nicholas Bunnin And E.p. Tsui-james. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.