The Philosophical I
Personal Reflections on Life in Philosophy
Contributions by Nicholas Rescher, Richard Shusterman, Linda Martín Alcoff, Lorraine Code, Sandra Harding, Bat-Ami Bar On, John Lachs, John J. Stuhr, Douglas Kellner, Thomas E. Wartenberg, Paul C. Taylor, Nancey Murphy, Charles W. Mills, Nancy Tuana, Joseph Margolis Edited by George Yancy
Not available to order
Publication date:
19 November 2002Length of book:
328 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781461714903
Philosophy is shaped by life and life is shaped by philosophy. This is reflected in The Philosophical I, a collection of 16 autobiographical essays by prominent philosophers. Candid and philosophically insightful, these personal narratives critically call into question the belief that philosophy should be kept separate from the personal experience of philosophers.
Each contributor traces the fundamental influences-both philosophical and otherwise-that have shaped his or her identity. In this postmodern world, the self is often viewed as irreparably fragmented and fractured, but the reflections in this volume point to a self that is a continuous, though dynamic, storyline. What shines through in each of these essays is that philosophy is a profoundly personal adventure.
Each contributor traces the fundamental influences-both philosophical and otherwise-that have shaped his or her identity. In this postmodern world, the self is often viewed as irreparably fragmented and fractured, but the reflections in this volume point to a self that is a continuous, though dynamic, storyline. What shines through in each of these essays is that philosophy is a profoundly personal adventure.
A fascinating collection of autobiographies by important philosophers in the United States and Canadian academy. Yancy has brought together philosophers of different races, sexes, temperaments, nationalities, and various career stages to discuss those experiences that have shaped them and their life in philosophy. While many of the contributors do share a penchant for pragmatism, even this similarity takes on an idiosyncratic form for each philosopher. What emerges in this work, then, is a subtle tapestry of multiple philosophical voices: Each philosopher tells his or her own biographical story, and through the combination of these stories we attain a unique perspective on the changing landscape of United States and Canadian academic philosophy of the last 50 years.