Pragmatist Metaphysics: An Essay on the Ethical Grounds of OntologyPragmatist Metaphysics proposes a pragmatist re-articulation of the nature, aims and methods of metaphysics. Rather than regarding metaphysics as a ‘first philosophy', an inquiry into the world independent of human perspectives, the pragmatist views metaphysics as an inquiry into categorizations of reality laden with human practices. Insofar as our categorizations of reality are practice-laden, they are also, inevitably, value-laden. Sami Pihlström argues that metaphysics does not, then, study the world's ‘own' categorial structure, but a structure we, through our conceptual and practical activities, impose on the reality we experience and interact with. Engaging with the classical American pragmatists, in particular William James, and neopragmatists, including Hilary Putnam, the author seeks to correct long-held misconceptions regarding the nature of the relationship between metaphysics and pragmatism. He argues that a coherent metaphysical alternative to the currently fashionable realist metaphysics emerges from pragmatism and that pragmatism itself should be reinterpreted in a metaphysically serious manner. Moreover, the book argues that, from a pragmatist perspective, metaphysics must be inextricably linked with ethics. |
Contents
1 Introduction | 1 |
2 Realism Truthmaking and a Pragmatist View on Truth and Reality | 15 |
3 The Transcendental Method in Pragmatist Metaphysics | 33 |
Metaphysical Conflicts Pragmatically Reconsidered | 72 |
5 The Ethical Grounds of Metaphysics | 86 |
6 Modal and Moral Realisms | 117 |
7 Pragmatism and Religious Metaphysics | 151 |
Notes | 176 |
Bibliography | 200 |
Index | 213 |
Other editions - View all
Pragmatist Metaphysics: An Essay on the Ethical Grounds of Ontology Sami Pihlström Limited preview - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
affairs Allison antimetaphysical Antinomy argue Armstrong basic beliefs Cambridge University Press chapter claim cognition commitments conceptual relativity contemporary critical defended discourse discussion empirical entanglement entities epistemic epistemological evil existence experience facts fideism fundamental ground hope humanly ibid idea independent interpretation issue James James's Jamesian Kant Kant's Kantian Kantian transcendental kind language Levinas logical meta metaphilosophical metaphys metaphysical inquiry metaphysical realism metaphysician metaphysics and ethics modal moral realism nature neopragmatism nominalist normative notion objects ontological Peirce Peirce's Peircean perspective philosophy of religion physical physicalist Pihlström 1996 Pihlström 2003a possible worlds postulate practical reason prag pragmatic method pragmatist metaphysics problem Putnam question reality rejection relation relativism relevant religious Rorty scholastic realism scientific realism sense structure substance synechism theism theistic theodicy thesis things tion traditional tran transcendent transcendental argument transcendental idealism transcendental method transcendental philosophy true truth truthmaking ultimate values Wittgenstein Wittgensteinian