Common Minds: Themes from the Philosophy of Philip PettitGeoffrey Brennan, Robert Goodin, Frank Jackson, Michael Smith Clarendon Press, 2007 M05 24 - 368 pages During a career spanning over thirty years Philip Pettit has made seminal contributions in moral philosophy, political philosophy, philosophy of the social sciences, philosophy of mind and action, and metaphysics. His many contributions would be remarkable enough in themselves, but they are made all the more remarkable by the ways in which Pettit connects them with each other. Pettit holds that the lessons learned when thinking about problems in one area of philosophy often constitute ready-made solutions to problems we faced in completely different areas. His body of work taken as a whole provides a vivid example of what philosophy looks like when done with that conviction. Common Minds presents specially written papers by some of the most eminent philosophers alive today, grappling with some of the themes derived from the larger programme that Pettit has inspired. How are we to do the best we can, whether in the domain of morality or politics, given that we are non-ideal agents acting in non-ideal circumstances? What is the normative significance of the capacity we have to engage in rational deliberation, both individually and collectively, about what to do? How are we to square our conception of ourselves as rational deliberators with the more mechanistic conception of ourselves and the world we inhabit that we get from the natural sciences? The volume concludes with a substantial piece by Pettit in which he gives an overview of his work, draws out the connections between its key themes, and provides a rich commentary on the preceding essays. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 35
Page 20
... conclusion that there are no 'special sciences' (on the assumption that all scientific explanation is law-based). A related argument concentrates on the causal powers of the supervening and subvening properties. This begins by noting ...
... conclusion that there are no 'special sciences' (on the assumption that all scientific explanation is law-based). A related argument concentrates on the causal powers of the supervening and subvening properties. This begins by noting ...
Page 21
... conclusion). But given that M1 is realized by P1, and given irreducibility (i.e. that M1 = P1), we now have two ... conclude that the special sciences cannot be defended by relying on the model that takes special science properties to be ...
... conclusion). But given that M1 is realized by P1, and given irreducibility (i.e. that M1 = P1), we now have two ... conclude that the special sciences cannot be defended by relying on the model that takes special science properties to be ...
Page 22
... conclusion is significantly different from Kim's, and leads to different consequences. In particular, it rescues the possibility of the causal relevance of (some) higher-order properties, mental ones included. The argument, as presented ...
... conclusion is significantly different from Kim's, and leads to different consequences. In particular, it rescues the possibility of the causal relevance of (some) higher-order properties, mental ones included. The argument, as presented ...
Page 23
... conclusion that the higher-order properties are causally inert; nor does it lead, without further argument, to the conclusion that they are reducible. The causal efficacy of the instance is as secure as the causal efficacy of the base ...
... conclusion that the higher-order properties are causally inert; nor does it lead, without further argument, to the conclusion that they are reducible. The causal efficacy of the instance is as secure as the causal efficacy of the base ...
Page 24
... conclusion. If, for example, (2) is rejected, then non-reductive monists can argue that mental/physical events have two constitutive properties, one mental and one physical, both of which need to figure in their identity conditions, and ...
... conclusion. If, for example, (2) is rejected, then non-reductive monists can argue that mental/physical events have two constitutive properties, one mental and one physical, both of which need to figure in their identity conditions, and ...
Contents
1 | |
28 | |
3 Can HunterGatherers Hear Color? | 55 |
4 Structural Irrationality | 84 |
5 Freedom Coercion and Discursive Control | 104 |
6 Conversability and Deliberation | 121 |
7 Pettits Molecule | 143 |
8 Contestatory Citizenship Deliberative Denizenship | 161 |
9 Crime Responsibility and Institutional Design | 182 |
10 Disenfranchised Silence | 199 |
Joining the Dots | 215 |
Index | 345 |
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able action active agent argue argument associated assume assumption attitudes behaviour belief capacity causal causal relevance cause certain claim color common conception conclusion context criminal decide decision deliberative depends desire discussion distinct effect event example expectancies experience explain fact freedom functional give given hold idea important individual instance intentional interest interference involve issue judges judgments justice kind less liberty look matter means mental moral natural neural normative object Oxford particular pattern perceptual person Pettit physical political position possible practical present Press problem produce properties question rational realized reason reference relation relevant represented republican respect responsibility result role rule seems sense silence social sort speech structural suggests Suppose synaesthetic theory things true understanding University vote