What Is Philosophy?: A First-Person Perspective

Metaphilosophy has become an important area of inquiry as philosophy departments attempt to define their unique value amid program closures and interdisciplinary research. Richard Fumerton argues that philosophy is an autonomous discipline with its own distinct methodology, requiring a radical first-person perspective to answer fundamental philosophical questions. He highlights the unique character of philosophical questions in specific subject areas and makes a case for philosophys contribution to cross-disciplinary work.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 172 pages
Publication date: 07 April 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

As philosophy departments grapple with the challenges of program closures in the humanities and the growing prominence of interdisciplinary research, metaphilosophy has emerged as a crucial field of inquiry. In his book, "What Is Philosophy?" Richard Fumerton offers a compelling response to the question posed by the title. Fumerton argues that philosophy is a distinct discipline with its own methodology, distinct from the sciences.

Throughout nine engaging and accessible chapters, Fumerton demonstrates that answering fundamental philosophical questions necessitates a radical first-person perspective that divorces the truth conditions of philosophical claims from the contingent truths investigated by the empirical sciences. He also briefly discusses the historical controversies surrounding the nature of philosophy, situating his argument within the broader conversation.

Key Features:

Illuminates the unique role of thought experiments, particularly the paradox of analysis, in understanding the purpose and value of philosophy.

Shows that philosophy asks fundamental questions that are beyond the scope of the sciences, critical to thinking clearly and rationally about the world.

Highlights the distinct character of philosophical questions in specific subject areas, such as philosophy of language, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of science.

Concludes by making a unique case for philosophy's contribution to cross-disciplinary work in ethics, politics, mathematics, and the empirical sciences.

Written in a way that is engaging and accessible to advanced undergraduate readers, "What Is Philosophy?" provides a valuable introduction to metaphilosophy and its significance in contemporary philosophical discourse.

Weight: 349g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032122038