Doing Philosophy

From Common Curiosity to Logical Reasoning

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, History, Criticism, & Surveys, Eastern
Cover of the book Doing Philosophy by Timothy Williamson, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Timothy Williamson ISBN: 9780192555465
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: June 14, 2018
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Timothy Williamson
ISBN: 9780192555465
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: June 14, 2018
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

What are philosophers trying to achieve? How can they succeed? Does philosophy make progress? Is it in competition with science, or doing something completely different, or neither? Timothy Williamson tackles some of the key questions surrounding philosophy in new and provocative ways, showing how philosophy begins in common sense curiosity, and develops through our capacity to dispute rationally with each other. Discussing philosophy's ability to clarify our thoughts, he explains why such clarification depends on the development of philosophical theories, and how those theories can be tested by imaginative thought experiments, and compared against each other by standards similar to those used in the natural and social sciences. He also shows how logical rigour can be understood as a way of enhancing the explanatory power of philosophical theories. Drawing on the history of philosophy to provide a track record of philosophical thinking's successes and failures, Williamson overturns widely held dogmas about the distinctive nature of philosophy in comparison to the sciences, demystifies its methods, and considers the future of the discipline. From thought experiments, to deduction, to theories, this little book will cause you to totally rethink what philosophy is.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

What are philosophers trying to achieve? How can they succeed? Does philosophy make progress? Is it in competition with science, or doing something completely different, or neither? Timothy Williamson tackles some of the key questions surrounding philosophy in new and provocative ways, showing how philosophy begins in common sense curiosity, and develops through our capacity to dispute rationally with each other. Discussing philosophy's ability to clarify our thoughts, he explains why such clarification depends on the development of philosophical theories, and how those theories can be tested by imaginative thought experiments, and compared against each other by standards similar to those used in the natural and social sciences. He also shows how logical rigour can be understood as a way of enhancing the explanatory power of philosophical theories. Drawing on the history of philosophy to provide a track record of philosophical thinking's successes and failures, Williamson overturns widely held dogmas about the distinctive nature of philosophy in comparison to the sciences, demystifies its methods, and considers the future of the discipline. From thought experiments, to deduction, to theories, this little book will cause you to totally rethink what philosophy is.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book The Rise of the Memoir by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book Before the State by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book The Demonic in the Political Thought of Eusebius of Caesarea by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book New Thinking about Propositions by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book Selected Letters by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book The Dance of the Islands by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book Poverty: A Very Short Introduction by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book Rigor and Structure by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book Christ Existing as Community by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book Probabilistic Graphical Models for Genetics, Genomics, and Postgenomics by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book Re-Imagining Democracy in the Mediterranean, 1780-1860 by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book Subtle is the Lord by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book Sport: A Very Short Introduction by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book Voters and Voting in Context by Timothy Williamson
Cover of the book The Cosmopolitan Constitution by Timothy Williamson
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy