In these essays, distinguished philosopher Philip Kitcher argues for a reconstruction of philosophy along the lines of classical Pragmatism

In these essays, distinguished philosopher Philip Kitcher argues for a reconstruction of philosophy along the lines of classical Pragmatism

Presents a history of the American philosophical tradition of pragmatism from its inception in the Metaphysical Club (Cambridge, MA) of the 1870s to present.

John Dewey (1859 - 1952) was the dominant voice in American philosophy through the World Wars, the Great Depression, and the nascent years of the Cold War. With a professional career spanning three generations and a profile that no public intellectual has operated on in the U.S. since, Dewey's biographer Robert Westbrook accurately describes him as "the most important philosopher in modern American history." In this superb and engaging introduction, Steven Fesmire begins with a chapter on Dewey’s life and works, before discussing and assessing Dewey's key ideas across the major disciplines in philosophy; including metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics, ethics, educational philosophy, social-political philosophy, and religious philosophy. This is an invaluable introduction and guide to this deeply influential philosopher and his legacy, and essential reading for anyone coming to Dewey's work for the first time.

Philip Kitcher has deeply influenced many of the current debates in the philosophy of biology. He has also made groundbreaking contributions to the philosophy of science, to ethics, the philosophy of religion, the philosophy of mathematics, and, most recently, to pragmatism. This volume results from the 15th Münster Lectures in Philosophy. It contains an original article by Kitcher and eight critical papers on a wide range of topics.

This book makes a case for cultural naturalism as a basis for a philosophy of art education. It argues for a holistic approach that avoids hard boundaries between artistic disciplines in the educational context, applying cultural naturalism to challenges that are topical for the whole art(s) education field, including challenges related to ecology, social justice, and technological transformation of culture. The book is written in the form of a conditional argument that considers the consequences of cultural naturalism for today’s philosophical problem-solving in art(s) education. It contains a systematic and historical analysis of cultural naturalism that support the philosophical reflection of educators and other scholars operative in this field. The result is a late modern reading of Deweyan cultural naturalism that highlights the continuance of key philosophical ideas from the modern to present discourses. The key topics discussed are of particular interest to present-day art(s) educators: ecological sustainability, social justice, and technological transformation of culture. In addition, this book provides an example of pragmatist argumentation, suggesting an alternative to analytical and post-philosophical approaches.

Inspired by pragmatism, this book addresses religious plurality with the aim of bringing forth how it may be approached constructively by Christian theology. Accordingly, not doctrine, but practices are focussed in its analyses of interreligious topics. Henriksen argues that engagement with the diversity of religious traditions should be grounded in openness towards the other, and resistance against making others similar to oneself. Accordingly, the book presents a theological approach where interaction between religious practitioners is considered a benefit and a necessity for the positive future of religious traditions. It will be of interest to anyone who is interested in the understanding of religious pluralism from the point of view of Christian theology.