What is Analytic Philosophy? / Edition 1

by Hans-Johann Glock

Overview

Analytic philosophy is roughly a hundred years old, and it is now the dominant force within Western philosophy. Interest in its historical development is increasing, but there has hitherto been no sustained attempt to elucidate what it currently amounts to, and how it differs from so-called 'continental' philosophy. In this rich and wide-ranging book, Hans Johann Glock argues that analytic philosophy is a loose movement held together both by ties of influence and by various 'family resemblances'. He considers the pros and cons of various definitions of analytic philosophy, and tackles the methodological, historiographical and philosophical issues raised by such definitions. Finally, he explores the wider intellectual and cultural implications of the notorious divide between analytic and continental philosophy. His book is an invaluable guide for anyone seeking to understand analytic philosophy and how it is practised.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521694261
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	04/03/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	306
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.63(d)

About the Author

Hans-Johann Glock is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Zürich and Visiting Professor at the University of Reading. His publications include Quine and Davidson on Language, Thought and Reality (2003).

Table of Contents

1. Introduction; 2. Historical survey; 3. Geography and language; 4. History and historiography; 5. Doctrines and topics; 6. Method and style; 7. Ethics and politics; 8. Contested concepts, family resemblances and tradition; 9. Present and future.

Editorial Reviews

"Glock argues that while there is no single trait shared by all and only analytic philosophers, a complex network of similarities — "family resemblances" in Wittgenstein's phrase — ties them together and distinguishes them from other philosophical movements...Anyone interested in analytic philosophy will want to read this insightful, elegantly written book. Summing up: Recommended."
-D. Haugen, Choice

From the Publisher