Tab Article

Edited by:
Józef Niznik and John T. Sanders

From Book News, Inc. Habermas and Rorty met in Poland in May 1995 to discuss and debate their different perspectives on the contemporary state of philosophy. Kolakowski's subsequent written discussion with Rorty is also included here. Rorty proposed three questions: has the enlightenment done more harm than good; can a secular culture produce enough of a civic community to protect democratic society against collapse; and is the notion of "rationality" of any use in articulating the nature of such a secular culture. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

About the Author:

JOZEF NIZNIK is Professor at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Book Description:

Do we still need philosophical discourse as part of communication within our culture? Is philosophical endeavor still valid? This text, suitable for use in any course dealing with contemporary philosophical thought, offers students the views of some of the most popular, distinguished contemporary philosophers who have placed their mark on philosophy. Jurgen Habermas, Richard Rorty, Leszek Kolakowski, and Ernest Gellner bring their ideas into confrontation in a unique debate devoted to the present state of philosophy. The future of Western culture may depend on the answers to the questions asked by these authors.