12 Modern Philosophers

12 Modern Philosophers explores the ideas of twelve of the most influential contemporary thinkers tackling the fundamental concerns of philosophy, from logic and metaphysics to ethics and political philosophy. Each major figure is examined by a specialist in the field, offering an accessible overview of their key ideas, works, and influences. What emerges is a rich and illuminating portrait of the current state of academic philosophy in the broadly Anglo–American, or “analytic,” tradition. With a careful and critical assessment of modern philosophers’ ideas about truth, morality, logic, and meaning, we see how contemporary philosophical thought has drawn from, and contributes to, the broader intellectual and cultural milieu. Stimulating and challenging, 12 Modern Philosophers is an important and timely guide to some of the most influential thinkers of the late twentieth century.

Acknowledgments vi Notes on Contributors vii Introduction Christopher Belshaw and Gary Kemp 1 1 Quine A. W. Moore 16 2 Rawls Thomas Baldwin 34 3 Davidson Ernie Lepore and Kirk Ludwig 54 4 Williams Catherine Wilson 76 5 Rorty Alan Malachowski 94 6 Fodor José Luis Bermúdez 115 7 Nagel Sonia Sedivy 134 8 Kripke Alexander Bird 153 9 Nozick A. R. Lacey 173 10 Parfit Jacob Ross 192 11 McDowell Marie McGinn 216 12 Singer Lori Gruen 232 Index 251

Christopher Belshaw is a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Staff Tutor with the Open University. He works mainly at the theoretical end of applied ethics. He is the author of Ideas (Open University 1998), Environmental Philosophy (Acumen, 2001) and 10 Good Questions About Life and Death (Blackwell, 2005). Another book, Annihilation: The Sense and Significance of Death , is forthcoming. Gary Kemp is Senior Lecturer in the Philosophy Department at the University of Glasgow. He works in the philosophy of logic and language, on Frege, Russell, Quine and Davidson, and on aesthetics and philosophical themes in literature. He is the author of Quine: A Guide for the Perplexed (2005) and, with Tracy Bowell, of Critical Thinking: A Concise Guide (2002, 2005, 2009).

"The 12 essays by 12 different authors are clear and concise; they offer both summaries and critiques that give valuable guidance to those who are new to the writings of these thinkers." ( CHOICE, 2009) “It is recommended not only to readers not yet familiar with philosophical discourse and concerns, but also to ′insiders′ who wish to get a clearer view of the various debates and discussions that are taking place in philosophy today.” ( Metapsychology , August 2009) "This book was a superb idea and has been superbly done." Brad Hooker, University of Reading   "This engaging collection of incisive and lucid essays on twelve major contemporary contributors to the subject elegantly delivers a synoptic view that, in making this work readily comprehensible to the non–specialist without a hint of oversimplification, shows philosophy for what it is at its best: enlivening, stimulating, exacting, and – true to the promise of its Socratic origins – ever capable of provocatively unsettling the otherwise unexamined presumptions that would blind us to life’s absorbing complexities. Informative, illuminating reading." Garry L. Hagberg, University of East Anglia