The Last Word
and over 900,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Amazon.co.uk Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"Nagel's book is a ringing defense of the rationalist conception of reason and an uncompromising attack on the subjectivist conception.... Nagel applies his general anti-subjectivist argument in a number of areas, including language, logic, arithmetic and ethics....The case that Nagel presents in these chapters should disturb all those who have been lulled, or bludgeoned, into the flabby relativism that is so rampant in contemporary intellectual culture....Nagel's argument is not only correct, it is also urgent....The Last Word is a book that should be read and pondered in this golden age of subjectivism."--Colin McGinn, The New Republic
"Thomas Nagel stands out among today's best philosophers in retaining closer links with the big puzzles and mysteries that first attract most people to philosophy. He has a livelier sense of their depth and power than is conspicuous elsewhere in the academic study of philosophy, and admirably resists the widespread tendency to deny a thing's
Product Description
If there is such a thing as reason, it has to be universal - it must work the same way for everyone. Reason must reflect objective principles whose validity is independent of our point of view. To reason is to think systematically in ways that anyone looking on ought to be able to recognize as correct. But this generality of reason is what relativists and subjectivists deny in ever-increasing numbers. And such subjectivism is not just an inconsequential intellectual flourish or badge of theoretical chic. It is exploited to deflect argument and to belittle the pretensions of the arguments of others. The continuing spread of this relativistic way of thinking threatens to make public discourse increasingly difficult and to exacerbate the deep divisions of our society. In The Last Word, Thomas Nagel, one of the most influential philosophers writing in English, presents a sustained defence of reason against the attacks of subjectivism, delivering systematic rebuttals of relativistic claims with respect to language, logic, science, and ethics. His work sets a new standard in the debate on this crucially important question and should generate intense interest both within and outside the philosophical community.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
This discussion will be concerned with an issue that runs through practically every area of inquiry and that has even invaded the general culture-the issue of where understanding and justification come to an end. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
This discussion will be concerned with an issue that runs through practically every area of inquiry and that has even invaded the general culture-the issue of where understanding and justification come to an end. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a defense of objective knowledge against postmodernism,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Last Word (Hardcover)
Nagel takes on a daunting task: to refute the current philosophical fashion, postmodernism. Going against the grain of contemporary academic thought, Nagel asserts that there are indeed truths that do not depend on our social or cultural perspective. He defends objective truth in logic, science, and even ethics. I have some sympathy for his position, and appreciate the many good points he asserts. In the end, though, I think his refutations are not quite up to the task he has set himself. Still, it is a good effort...and in any event a readable window onto an important contemporary battle in philosophy.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
good one,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Last Word (Hardcover)
A Rorty-bashing classic. A must read for pragmatists. Whether Nagel has really given the last word in favor of the realists is another question.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nagel makes an excellent case for naturalism and reason,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Last Word (Hardcover)
As a graduate student in Religious Studies and Philosophy, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to reference it in my papers. Although, this may not have been the author's intent, his logical and objective approaches to reason, help support the universal and exceptionless principles of the faith! Should be a must-read for any theologian as pointed out in recent religious periodicals like Christianity Today.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews |
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
