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Richard Rorty

    October 4, 1931 – June 8, 2007

    Richard Rorty developed a distinctive and often controversial brand of pragmatism. His work critically diagnoses the core projects of modern philosophy, arguing against the idea of knowledge as mere representation or a mirroring of an external world. Positively, Rorty sought to re-imagine intellectual culture by moving beyond these traditional metaphors of mind and knowledge. He integrated the insights of thinkers like Dewey, Hegel, and Darwin into a pragmatic synthesis of historicism and naturalism, offering a multifaceted view of thought, culture, and politics that made him a widely discussed philosopher.

    Richard Rorty
    Essays on Heidegger and Others
    Philosophy as Cultural Politics
    Empiricism and the Philosophy of Mind
    Pragmatism as Anti-Authoritarianism
    On Philosophy and Philosophers
    Mind, Language, and Metaphilosophy
    • 2022

      Prescient essays about the state of our politics from the philosopher who predicted that a populist demagogue would become president of the United StatesRichard Rorty, one of the most influential intellectuals of recent decades, is perhaps best known today as the philosopher who, almost two decades before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, warned of the rise of a Trumpian strongman in America. What Can We Hope For? gathers nineteen of Rorty’s essays on American and global politics, including four previously unpublished and many lesser-known and hard-to-find pieces.In these provocative and compelling essays, Rorty confronts the critical challenges democracies face at home and abroad, including populism, growing economic inequality, and overpopulation and environmental devastation. In response, he offers optimistic and realistic ideas about how to address these crises. He outlines strategies for fostering social hope and building an inclusive global community of trust, and urges us to put our faith in trade unions, universities, bottom-up social campaigns, and bold political visions that thwart ideological pieties.Driven by Rorty’s sense of emergency about our collective future, What Can We Hope For? is filled with striking diagnoses of today’s political crises and creative proposals for solving them.

      What Can We Hope For?
    • 2021

      In his final work, Richard Rorty provides the definitive statement of his political thought. Rorty equates pragmatism with anti-authoritarianism, arguing that because there is no authority we can rely on to ascertain truth, we can only do so intersubjectively. It follows that we must learn to think and care about what others think and care about.

      Pragmatism as Anti-Authoritarianism
    • 2020

      On Philosophy and Philosophers

      • 264 pages
      • 10 hours of reading

      On Philosophy and Philosophers is a volume of unpublished papers by Richard Rorty, a central figure in late-twentieth-century philosophy and a primary force behind the resurgence of American pragmatism. These previously unseen papers advance novel views on metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, philosophical semantics and the social role of philosophy.

      On Philosophy and Philosophers
    • 2016

      Philosophy as Poetry

      • 96 pages
      • 4 hours of reading

      Drawn from Richard Rorty's acclaimed 2004 Page-Barbour lectures, Philosophy as Poetry distils many of the central ideas in his work. This book makes an ideal starting place for anyone looking for an introduction to Rorty's thought and his contribution to our sense of an American pragmatism, as well as an understanding of his influence and the controversy that attended his work.

      Philosophy as Poetry
    • 2016

      What's the Use of Truth?

      • 96 pages
      • 4 hours of reading

      American pragmatist Rorty and the French analytic philosopher Engel present their radically different perspectives on truth and its correspondence to reality. "What's the Use of Truth?" is a rare opportunity to experience each side of this impassioned debate clearly and concisely.

      What's the Use of Truth?
    • 2014

      Mind, Language, and Metaphilosophy

      Early Philosophical Papers

      • 330 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      This collection showcases the early work of a groundbreaking philosopher known for their influential ideas and originality. It provides insights into their foundational thoughts and the development of their philosophical framework, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of their contributions to contemporary thought.

      Mind, Language, and Metaphilosophy
    • 2014

      Mind, Language, and Metaphilosophy

      • 330 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      Focusing on Richard Rorty's early philosophical essays, this volume showcases his influential thoughts from the first decade of his career. It explores his perspectives on the nature of philosophy and presents his innovative take on eliminative materialism. Key discussions include private language, indeterminacy, and verificationalism, all of which remain pertinent in contemporary philosophical debates. A comprehensive introduction traces Rorty's intellectual evolution from 1961 to 1972, enriching the understanding of his significant contributions to philosophy.

      Mind, Language, and Metaphilosophy
    • 2010

      Richard Rorty is famous, maybe even infamous, for his philosophical nonchalance. His groundbreaking work not only rejects all theories of truth but also dismisses modern epistemology and its preoccupation with knowledge and representation. At the same time, the celebrated pragmatist believed there could be no universally valid answers to moral questions, which led him to a complex view of religion rarely expressed in his writings.In this posthumous publication, Rorty, a strict secularist, finds in the pragmatic thought of John Dewey, John Stuart Mill, William James, and George Santayana, among others, a political imagination shared by religious traditions. His intent is not to promote belief over nonbelief or to blur the distinction between religious and public domains. Rorty seeks only to locate patterns of similarity and difference so an ethics of decency and a politics of solidarity can rise. He particularly responds to Pope Benedict XVI and his campaign against the relativist vision. Whether holding theologians, metaphysicians, or political ideologues to account, Rorty remains steadfast in his opposition to absolute uniformity and its exploitation of political strength.

      An Ethics for Today
    • 2007

      Philosophy as Cultural Politics

      • 220 pages
      • 8 hours of reading
      4.3(80)Add rating

      Exploring the evolving role of philosophy in Western culture, this collection of Richard Rorty's philosophical papers delves into significant themes such as the imagination's impact on moral and intellectual progress, the concept of moral identity, and the linguistic nature of philosophical problems as proposed by Wittgenstein. Rorty critiques the relevance of cognitive science to philosophy and challenges the notion that philosophers must locate consciousness and moral values within a physical framework. This volume is a thought-provoking resource for those deeply engaged in philosophical discourse and its cultural implications.

      Philosophy as Cultural Politics
    • 2005

      Essays on Heidegger and Others

      Philosophical Papers

      • 214 pages
      • 8 hours of reading
      4.2(122)Add rating

      Exploring recent European philosophy, this volume delves into the influential ideas of Heidegger and Derrida, showcasing Richard Rorty's critical engagement with their works. It offers insights into contemporary philosophical debates and Rorty's interpretations, making it a significant contribution to the discourse on modern thought.

      Essays on Heidegger and Others