Metaphysics and the End of Philosophy

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Metaphysics and the End of Philosophy is a defence of metaphysics as central to philosophy and a criticism of the attempts of modern philosophy to replace it. H.O. Mounce argues that philosophy, and not simply science, has a positive role to play in our understanding of the world.

Modern philosophy has been dominated for some three centuries by scientism or by a naturalistic view of the world. This has led to a disparagement not just of religion, but of metaphysics in all its forms. Whereas in classical philosophy, metaphysics is central to the subject, in much of modern philosophy the aim of the subject is simply to remove metaphysical confusion. Here Mounce offers a sustained criticism of this tendency in modern philosophy and offers a vindication of philosophy in its classical conception. The author takes us on a tour of all the key figures in the historical development of modern philosophy and the forces that have shaped their thought, arguing that the history of philosophy is essential to a proper understanding of the subject itself.

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Mention in Philosophical Investigations, Oct 09

Author Bio

H.O. Mounce is an Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales Swansea, and editor of the journal Philosophical Investigations. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including Wittgenstein's Tractatus: An Introduction (Blackwell, 1990), The Two Pragmatisms (Routledge, 1997) and Hume's Naturalism (Routledge, 1999).