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Cognitive science has posed some radical challenges to philosophy in recent years, particularly in the study of the cognitive activities and capacities of individuals. In this book Nenad Mis̆c̆ević defends naturalistic rationalism against recent relativist attacks.

Why does reason matter, if (as many people seem to think) in the end everything comes down to blind faith or gut instinct? Why not just go with what you believe even if it contradicts the evidence? Why bother with rational explanation when name-calling, manipulation, and force are so much more effective in our current cultural and political landscape? Michael Lynch's In Praise of Reason offers a spirited defense of reason and rationality in an era of widespread skepticism-when, for example, people reject scientific evidence about such matters as evolution, climate change, and vaccines when it doesn't jibe with their beliefs and opinions. In recent years, skepticism about the practical value of reason has emerged even within the scientific academy. Many philosophers and psychologists claim that the reasons we give for our most deeply held views are often little more than rationalizations of our prior convictions. In Praise of Reason gives us a counterargument. Although skeptical questions about reason have a deep and interesting history, they can be answered. In particular, appeals to scientific principles of rationality are part of the essential common currency of any civil democratic society. The idea that everything is arbitrary-that reason has no more weight than blind faith-undermines a key principle of a civil society: that we owe our fellow citizens explanations for what we do. Reason matters-not just for the noble ideal of truth, but for the everyday world in which we live. Summary reprinted by permission of MIT Press

An urgent defense of reason, the essential method for resolving—or even discussing—divisive issues: \"A timely masterpiece.\"—Patricia S. Churchland, author of Touching a Nerve Reason, long held as the highest human achievement, is under siege. According to Aristotle, the capacity for reason sets us apart from other animals, yet today it has ceased to be a universally admired faculty. Rationality and reason have become political, disputed concepts, subject to easy dismissal.   Julian Baggini argues eloquently that we must recover our reason and reassess its proper place, neither too highly exalted nor completely maligned. Rationality does not require a cold, sterile worldview—it simply involves the application of critical thinking wherever thinking is needed. Addressing such major areas of debate as religion, science, politics, psychology, and economics, the author calls for commitment to the notion of a \"community of reason,\" where disagreements are settled by debate and discussion, not brute force or political power. Baggini's insightful book celebrates the power of reason, our best hope—indeed our only hope—for dealing with the intractable quagmires of our time.   \"The toxic gloating of 'gut feelings,' hateful politics and heart-over-head attacks on good sense urgently need an antidote. Baggini has risen to the occasion…compelling.\"—Patricia S. Churchland, author of  Conscience: The Origins of Moral Intuition

Although often neglected, An Examination of the Philosophy of Bacon is crucial to understand the epistemological basis for Maistre's critique of modern science as well as his criticisms of other aspects of Enlightenment thought. Given Maistre's stature in the history of conservative thought, his critique of Bacon remains significant for what it tells us about Maistre's own thought, what it reveals about attitudes toward science in his time, and what it contributes to issues that are still debated today. The work also showcases Maistre's polemical skills and his powerful prose style. Richard Lebrun's annotated translation includes Maistre's complete text, an extensive introduction that places the work in context and provides a critical exposition and assessment of Maistre's criticisms of Bacon, biographical notes on persons cited or mentioned by Maistre, and a bibliography. Differences between Maistre's manuscript and the printed text, first published fifteen years after the author's death, are noted, and Maistre's numerous citations have been identified, verified, and translated, making this the only authoritative and fully accurate edition of the work in either French or English.

\"I shall here present my life,\" writes Descartes in Discourse on Method , \"as in a painting\" and my method \"as a fable.\" Through the Eyes of Descartes demonstrates how a Cartesian aesthetics is interwoven in his thought. It brings together a variety of materials: his metaphysical writings and essays in natural philosophy, through to his letters, drawings, and printed images. Cecilia Sjöholm and Marcia Sá Cavalcante Schuback seek to bring Descartes into dialogue with contemporary phenomenology as well as contemporary psychoanalytic thought. They focus on how perception interacts with emotions and thought, and the way in which our gaze is directed toward limit-phenomena of beauty and fascination. In Through the Eyes of Descartes , Cecilia Sjöholm and Marcia Sá Cavalcante Schuback counter the traditional picture of Descartes by presenting his work in an entirely different light: a Descartes of the arts, of sensibility, of inner images, and of imagination.

Este libro muestra cómo la concepción de actuación racional propuesta por A. MacIntyre, proyecto de marcado carácter comunitario y orientado hacia un horizonte metafísico-teológico, puede constituirse en una efectiva alternativa de vida para numerosas personas y comunidades de nuestro tiempo. Imitando una firme convicción macIntyreana, se desarrolla este estudio a partir de un compromiso teórico y existencial con la tradición neoaristotélica de las virtudes. El trabajo se sustenta en el convencimiento de que la actividad filosófica tiene que ser fundamentalmente entendida como un diálogo con aquella tradición de pensamiento a la que se atribuye pretensión de verdad; en este caso, el corpus que conforman las obras éticas de Aristóteles, Tomás de Aquino y el propio MacIntyre.Movido por el propósito de lograr una comprensión profunda de la situación moral de nuestra cultura, esta obra aborda fundamentalmente los textos que conforman la tercera y actual etapa de la filosofía macIntyreana. Sin embargo, trasciende el material asumido y desarrolla algunas tesis que se expresan solo de manera germinal en los escritos del autor. Frente a la disolución moral contemporánea, el lector no especializado podrá encontrar en estas páginas una sólida y amena rehabilitación de la tradición moral de las virtudes. En su conjunto, se trata de un intento de respuesta al desafío lanzado por MacIntyre, hace ya cuarenta años, de esperar a un nuevo San Benito.Maximiliano Loria es Prof. en Filosofía por la UNMdP y Dr. en Filosofía por la UNLa (Argentina). Fue profesor auxiliar de Ética, Metafísica y Filosofía Medieval por casi diez años en la UNMdP. Actualmente se desempeña como docente de Ética y Teología en el Departamento de Humanidades de la Universidad Católica San Pablo (Arequipa/Perú). Su especialidad es el estudio de la relación entre Ética y Metafísica en la tradición de pensamiento aristotélica y tomista que encuentra en Alasdair MacIntyre a uno de sus más destacados representantes contemporáneos. Es miembro fundador de la Comunidad Iberoamericana de estudios macIntyreanos. Ha escrito numerosos artículos, dictado conferencias y cursos de posgrado sobre este autor y es coeditor, junto al Dr. Javier de la Torre, del libro Alasdair MacIntyre: Relecturas iberoamericanas. Recepción y proyecciones (Dykinson 2020).

Basing consideration upon a characterization of reason in its deductive, inductive, and ethical functioning, Goldstick asks what must hold good for reason so characterized to be a dependable guide to truth.

As the world becomes increasingly globalised Islam faces some important choices. Does it seek to “modernise” in line with the cultures in which it is practised, or does it retain its traditions even if they are at odds with the surrounding society? This book utilises a critical rationalist viewpoint to illuminate many of the hotly contested issues in modern Islam and to offer a fresh analysis. A variety of issues within Islam are discussed in this book, including Muslims and modernity; Islam, Christianity and Judaism; approaches to the understanding of the Quran; Muslim identity and civil society; doctrinal certainty and violent radicalism. In each case, the author makes use of Karl Popper’s theory of critical rationalism to uncover new aspects of these issues and to challenge post-modern, relativist, literalist and justificationist readings of Islam. This is a unique perspective on contemporary Islam and as such will be of significant interest to scholars of Religious Studies, Islamic Studies and the Philosophy of Religion.

Theodor W. Adorno and Jnrgen Habermas both champion the goal of a rational society. However, they differ significantly about what this society should look like and how best to achieve it. Exploring the premises shared by both critical theorists, along with their profound disagreements about social conditions today, this book defends Adorno against Habermas' influential criticisms of his account of Western society and prospects for achieving reasonable conditions of human life. The book begins with an overview of these critical theories of Western society. Both Adorno and Habermas follow Georg Lukacs when they argue that domination consists in the reifying extension of a calculating, rationalizing form of thought to all areas of human life. Their views about reification are discussed in the second chapter. In chapter three the author explores their conflicting accounts of the historical emergence and development of the type of rationality now prevalent in the West. Since Adorno and Habermas claim to have a critical purchase on reified social life, the critical leverage of their theories is assessed in chapter four. The final chapter deals with their opposing views about what a rational society would look like, as well as their claims about the prospects for establishing such a society. Adorno, Habermas and the Search for a Rational Society will be essential reading for students and researchers of critical theory, political theory and the work of Adorno and Habermas.