Real Philosophy for Real People: Tools for Truthful Living

by Robert McTeigue .S.J.

Overview

A great philosopher once observed, "Philosophers let theories get in the way of what they and everybody else know." A lot of ink has been spilt in order to obscure what we really can't not know about reality, humanity and morality.

In the midst of a culture permeated by philosophies that seek to redefine the universally available meaning of what it is to be human, Fr. Robert McTeigue says it is more important than ever to be equipped with reliable philosophical tools that help us to see clearly the implications of our stated moral claims; that enable us to detect moral and logical error; and that keep us grounded in the love of truth.

You will find such tools in these pages that explore what it means to be human with metaphysical, anthropological, and ethical dimensions.

But this book does more than offer tools for seeing and understanding. It is a refutation of philosophies which prize love of theory over love of truth; a rebuke of any metaphysics that cannot account for itself; a refutation of anthropologies which are unworthy of the human person; and a refutation of ethical systems which reduce the great dignity and destiny of the human person.

Most importantly, this book is a prescription for an alternative: it is a real philosophy for real people, wherein the best of classical philosophy finds its fulfillment, expressed in a contemporary idiom that is accessible to the layman and plausible to the scholar. It offers a catalog of errors with their refutations, and a map for living a truly human life. It is a portable error-detector, while providing a basis for knowing and presenting the truth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781621643487
Publisher:	Ignatius Press
Publication date:	08/11/2020
Pages:	283
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Fr. Robert McTeigue, S.J., is a member of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. He has lectured worldwide on philosophy and theology. A member of the National Ethics Committee of the Catholic Medical Association, he is host and producer of the radio show The Catholic Current on the Station of the Cross.

Table of Contents

A Parable 11

Preface: Learning to Live with Solertia 15

1 Thinking and Living Humanly Well 29

2 Faith and Reason-Who Needs Them? 57

3 World Views-What They Are and Why They Matter 71

4 Metaphysics: A Systematic Account of the Real 103

5 Anthropology: An Account of the Human Person 143

6 Ethics: The Art and Science of Evaluating Human Behavior in Terms of Ought and Ought Not 201

7 Epilogue 247

Afterword Robert J. Spitzer, S.J. 253

Acknowledgments 271

Index 273

Editorial Reviews

"A delightful romp through modern idiocies disguised as philosophies versus time-tested principles for building a wise one. It is full of the most revolutionary, rare, and uncommon thing in the world: common sense."
— Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy, Boston College

"A must for anyone seeking a comprehensible and comprehensive presentation and defense of theistic philosophy in contrast to its contemporary opponents."
— Robert Spitzer, S.J., President, Magis Center

"A book that honors the importance of philosophy by going directly to the heart of its fundamental perplexities, with thoughtfulness, conciseness, and energy. The voice of Robert McTeigue's realism restores to philosophy a salutary sanity."
— William Desmond, Ph.D., David R. Cook Chair in Philosophy, Villanova University

"A defense not merely of philosophy and metaphysics, but of the mind and of man himself."
— Fr. Robert A. Sirico, President, Acton Institute

"Fr. McTeigue shows us in an interesting and entertaining way that our lives—the lives of real flesh and blood people, from truck drivers to C.E.O.s—are imbued with philosophical assumptions about man, reality, truth, and goodness."
— Francis J. Beckwith, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy, Baylor University 

"Fr. McTeigue is an eloquent and witty disciple of his mentor Paul Weiss in the way he explains how common sense makes sense."
— Fr. George Rutler, Author, Calm in Chaos and He Spoke to Us

"An astringent philosophical corrective to these strange times. Fr. McTeigue demonstrates how metaphysics impacts on practical affairs, indeed on our whole lives."
— Theodore Dalrymple, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute; Author, Our Culture, What's Left of It

"Fr. McTeigue shows you how to take the principles of Catholic philosophy and make it your spiritual operating system."
— John Harper, Managing Editor and Host, Morning Air, Relevant Radio

"As a student of Fr. McTeigue, I witnessed the development of the concepts in this book. What I learned changed my life then and continues to guide my life now, both in my medical practice and personal life."
— Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., Attending Physician, Alliance Cancer Specialists

From the Publisher