Publisher Description

PROSE 2020 Single Volume Reference Finalist! Philosophers throughout history have debated the existence of gods, but it is only in recent years that the absence of such a belief has become a significant topic of philosophical analysis, in particular for philosophers of religion. Although it is difficult to trace the historical contours of atheism as the lack of belief in a higher power, the reasoned, reflective, and thoughtful rejection of theism has become commonplace in many modern intellectual circles, including academic philosophy where disciplinary data indicates that a large majority of philosophers self-identify as atheists. As the first book of its kind to bring together a collection of writing on the philosophical aspects of atheism both historical and contemporary, the Companion to Atheism and Philosophy stages an explicit, constructive, and comprehensive conversation between philosophy and atheism to examine the ways in which atheist thought intersects with ideas and positions from a variety of philosophical and theological sub-disciplines. The Companion begins by addressing the foundational questions and lingering controversies which underpin philosophical thought about atheism, exploring the implications of major developments in the history of philosophy for the modern atheistic worldview. Divided into eight distinct sections, essays consider a range of thinkers who were widely believed to have been atheists—including David Hume, Mary Wollstonecraft, Karl Marx, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton—and survey different kinds of objections to theism and atheism, including logical, evidential, normative, and prudential. Later chapters trace the relationship between atheism and metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy oriented around topics such as pragmatism, postmodernism, freedom, education, violence, and happiness. Deftly curated and thoughtfully composed, A Companion to Atheism and Philosophy is the most ambitious and authoritative account of philosophical thinking on atheism available, and is a first-rate resource for academics, professionals, and students of philosophy, religious studies, and theology.

Featuring a moment in late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century England before the disciplinary divisions that we inherit today were established, Empiricist Devotions recovers a kind of empiricist thinking in which the techniques and emphases of science, religion, and literature combined and cooperated. This brand of empiricism was committed to particularized scrutiny and epistemological modesty. It was Protestant in its enabling premises and meditative practices. It earnestly affirmed that figurative language provided crucial tools for interpreting the divinely written world. Smith recovers this empiricism in Robert Boyle’s analogies, Isaac Newton’s metaphors, John Locke’s narratives, Joseph Addison’s personifications, Daniel Defoe’s diction, John Gay’s periphrases, and Alexander Pope’s descriptive particulars. She thereby demonstrates that "literary" language played a key role in shaping and giving voice to the concerns of eighteenth-century science and religion alike. Empiricist Devotions combines intellectual history with close readings of a wide variety of texts, from sermons, devotional journals, and economic tracts to georgic poems, it-narratives, and microscopy treatises. This prizewinning book has important implications for our understanding of cultural and literary history, as scholars of the period’s science have not fully appreciated figurative language’s central role in empiricist thought, while scholars of its religion and literature have neglected the serious empiricist commitments motivating richly figurative devotional and poetic texts. Winner of the Walker Cowen Memorial Prize for an Outstanding Work of Scholarship in Eighteenth-Century Studies

What is empiricism and what could it be? Bas C. van Fraassen, one of the world’s foremost contributors to philosophical logic and the philosophy of science, here undertakes a fresh consideration of these questions and offers a program for renewal of the empiricist tradition. The empiricist tradition is not and could not be defined by common doctrines, but embodies a certain stance in philosophy, van Fraassen says. This stance is displayed first of all in a searing, recurrent critique of metaphysics, and second in a focus on experience that requires a voluntarist view of belief and opinion. Van Fraassen focuses on the philosophical problems of scientific and conceptual revolutions and on the not unrelated ruptures between religious and secular ways of seeing or conceiving of ourselves. He explores what it is to be or not be secular and points the way toward a new relationship between secularism and science within philosophy.

Sameer Yadav's central claim in this work is that there is a radical mistake in many contemporary accounts that require grounding a theological story of God's availability to us in experience in a prior general philosophical theory of perception. Instead, it is argued that the philosophical problem of perception is a pseudoproblem. The study concludes with a new reading of Gregory of Nyssa and his theology of the spiritual senses, which is free from the bewitchment of the problem of perception.

Our knowledge comes primarily from experience – what our senses tell us. But is experience really what it seems? The experimental breakthroughs in 17th-century science of Kepler, Galileo and Newton informed the great British empiricist tradition, which accepts a 'common-sense' view of the world – and yet concludes that all we can ever know are 'ideas'. In Introducing Empiricism: A Graphic Guide, Dave Robinson - with the aid of Bill Mayblin's brilliant illustrations - outlines the arguments of Locke, Berkeley, Hume, J.S. Mill, Bertrand Russell and the last British empiricist, A.J. Ayer. They also explore criticisms of empiricism in the work of Kant, Wittgenstein, Karl Popper and others, providing a unique overview of this compelling area of philosophy.

Embark on a journey of intellectual exploration with "Essays in Radical Empiricism" by William James, a groundbreaking collection of essays that challenges traditional notions of reality, perception, and knowledge. Prepare to engage with profound philosophical ideas as James invites readers to question the nature of consciousness and the foundations of human understanding. In "Essays in Radical Empiricism," William James offers readers a thought-provoking exploration of the fundamental principles that shape our understanding of the world. Drawing from his pioneering work in psychology and philosophy, James presents a radical vision of empiricism that seeks to expand the boundaries of human knowledge and perception. Explore the themes and motifs that permeate "Essays in Radical Empiricism," from the nature of experience to the role of consciousness in shaping our understanding of reality. James's exploration of these themes offers readers a transformative perspective on the nature of existence and the limits of human cognition. Through rigorous analysis and insightful commentary, James challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions about the nature of reality and the foundations of knowledge. From his critique of traditional philosophical frameworks to his exploration of the mysteries of consciousness, each essay offers readers a fascinating glimpse into the mind of one of history's most influential thinkers. The overall tone and mood of "Essays in Radical Empiricism" are as thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating as the ideas it explores. James's prose is both erudite and accessible, inviting readers to grapple with complex philosophical concepts in a manner that is engaging and enlightening. Since its publication, "Essays in Radical Empiricism" has been celebrated as a seminal work in the field of philosophy and psychology. James's radical vision of empiricism continues to inspire generations of scholars and thinkers, offering a framework for understanding the nature of reality and the mysteries of human consciousness. Whether you're a student of philosophy or simply curious about the nature of existence, "Essays in Radical Empiricism" promises to challenge your assumptions and expand your horizons. Join William James on a journey of intellectual discovery, and explore the profound implications of radical empiricism for our understanding of the world. Don't miss your chance to engage with the groundbreaking ideas of "Essays in Radical Empiricism" by William James. Let its thought-provoking insights and transformative vision of reality inspire you to question the nature of existence and explore the depths of human consciousness.