WHAT PHILOSOPHY IS: CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY IN ACTION; ED. BY HAVI CAREL

What do we mean when we talk about philosophy today? How does philosophy relate to science, to politics, to literature? What methods does the modern philosopher use, and how does philosophy progress? Does philosophy differ from place to place? What can philosophy do for us? And what can it not do? This book, with contributions from such exciting and influential contemporary philosophers as Simon Blackburn, Michael Friedman, Simon Critchley and Manuel DeLanda, offers us a fascinating picture of the character and methods of philosophy; its possibilities and its limitations. And of course, it is itself a piece of philosophy in action, not merely offering us answers but also prompting us to ask further questions and to philosophise for ourselves. Foreword (Simon Blackburn)......Page 2 Introduction to the Volume......Page 8 PART I: POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY......Page 11 Political Philosophy Introduction......Page 12 Philosophy as Politics: Some Guesses as to the Future of Political Philosophy (Matt Matravers)......Page 15 Philosophy as Logo: The Thought of Branding and the Branding of Thought (Julie Kuhlken)......Page 28 PART II: PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE......Page 39 Philosophy and Science Introduction......Page 40 Philosophy as Biology: Evolutionary Explanations in Philosophy (Bence Nanay)......Page 43 Philosophy as Intensive Science (Manuel DeLanda)......Page 54 Philosophy as Dynamic Reason: The Idea of Scientific Philosophy (Michael Friedman)......Page 76 PART III: PHILOSOPHIZING FROM DIFFERENT PLACES......Page 100 Philosophizing from Different Places Introduction......Page 101 Philosophy as if Place Mattered: The Situation of African Philosophy (Bruce Janz)......Page 105 Philosophy as a Problem in Latin America (Juan Cristobal Cruz Revueltas)......Page 118 PART IV: PHILOSOPHICAL METHOD......Page 128 Philosophical Method Introduction......Page 129 Philosophy as Bricolage (Ed Brandon)......Page 132 Philosophy as Judgment (Julian Baggini)......Page 141 Philosophy as Nomadism (Simon Glendinning)......Page 155 Philosophy as an "As" (Eran Dorfman)......Page 168 PART V: PHILOSOPHY AND LITERATURE......Page 178 Philosophy and Literature Introduction......Page 179 Philosophy as Poetry: The Intricate Evasions of As (Simon Critchley)......Page 183 Philosophy as Sideshowing: The Philosophical, the Literary, and the Fantastic (Evgenia V. Cherkasova)......Page 198 PART VI: THERAPEUTIC PHILOSOPHY......Page 207 Therapeutic Philosophy Introduction......Page 208 Philosophy as Therapy (David J. Rosner)......Page 210 Philosophy as Listening: The Lessons of Psychoanalysis (Havi Carel)......Page 222 PART VII: PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY......Page 233 Professional Philosophy Introduction......Page 234 Philosophy as Profession (Patricia Sayre)......Page 236 Philosophy as Deep and Shallow Wisdom (David Gamez)......Page 250 EPILOGUE: THE LIMITS OF PHILOSOPHY......Page 263 Epilogue Introduction......Page 264 Philosophy as Saying the Unsayable (Hilary Lawson)......Page 267 Glossary......Page 285 Part I......Page 294 Part II......Page 297 Part III......Page 303 Part IV......Page 306 Part V......Page 309 Part VI......Page 312 Part VII......Page 314 Epilogue......Page 315 Index......Page 316 Philosophy As Politics: Some Guesses As To The Future Of Political Philosophy / Matt Matravers -- Philosophy As Logo: The Thought Of Branding And The Branding Of Thought / Julie Kuhiken -- Philosophy As Biology: Evolutionary Explanations In Philosophy / Bence Nanay -- Philosophy As Intensive Science / Manuel Delanda -- Philosophy As Dynamic Reason: The Idea Of A Scientific Philosophy / Michael Friedman -- Philosophy As If Place Mattered: The Situation Of African Philosophy / Bruce Janz -- Philosophy As A Problem In Latin America / Juan Cristóbal Cruz Revueltas -- Philosophy As Bricolage / Ed Brandon -- Philosophy As Judgement / Julian Baggini. Philosophy As Nomadism / Simon Glendinning -- Philosophy As An 'as' / Eran Dorfman -- Philosophy As Poetry: The Intricate Evasions Of As / Simon Critchley -- Philosophy As Sideshadowing: The Philosophical, The Literary, And The Fantastic / Eugenia V. Cherkasova -- Philosophy As Therapy / David J. Rosner -- Philosophy As Listening: The Lessons Of Psychoanalysis / Havi Carel -- Philosophy As Profession / Patricia Sayre -- Philosophy As Deep And Shallow Wisdom / David Gamez -- Philosophy As Saying The Unsayable / Hilary Lawson. Edited By Havi Carel And David Gamez ; With A Foreword By Simon Blackburn. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [301]-322) And Index. In contrast to the typical bird's eye view--major figures, divergent and confluent schools of thought, successions and continuities of concerns and conflicts--philosophy is here described by people from many countries who are engaged in practicing and producing it as a living daily activity, demonstrating the breadth of the discipline by the variety of their styles and methods. They cover political philosophy, philosophy and science, philosophizing from different places, philosophical method, philosophy and literature, therapeutic philosophy, professional philosophy, and the limits of philosophy. Annotation ♭2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)