Princeton Foundations of Contemporary Philosophy

Scott Soames is professor of philosophy at the University of Southern California. His many books include What Is Meaning?, Philosophical Essays, Reference and Description, and Philosophical Analysis in the Twentieth Century (all Princeton). A masterful overview of the philosophy of language from one of its most important thinkers In this book one of the world's foremost philosophers of language presents his unifying vision of the field-its principal achievements, its most pressing current questions, and its most promising future directions. In addition to explaining the progress philosophers have made toward creating a theoretical framework for the study of language, Scott Soames investigates foundational concepts-such as truth, reference, and meaning-that are central to the philosophy of language and important to philosophy as a whole. The first part of the book describes how philosophers from Frege, Russell, Tarski, and Carnap to Kripke, Kaplan, and Montague developed precise techniques for understanding the languages of logic and mathematics, and how these techniques have been refined and extended to the study of natural human languages. The book then builds on this account, exploring new thinking about propositions, possibility, and the relationship between meaning, assertion, and other aspects of language use. An invaluable overview of the philosophy of language by one of its most important practitioners, this book will be essential reading for all serious students of philosophy. "[Philosophy of Language] covers an impressive number of controversies in philosophy of language. And it does that in a nontechnical way that is likely to prove attractive to many instructors in the field." "This is, in my view, a very valuable (though not at all introductory) overview, from a particular perspective, to be sure, of the trajectory on the philosophy of language from Frege to the present. . . . It covers a remarkable amount of ground in a short space, both presenting and contributing to an important network of themes that have shaped the philosophical study of language in the analytic tradition."---Kirk Ludwig, Philosophia "This is a masterpiece. Scott Soames's work on these topics defines orthodoxy in contemporary philosophy, and having that work distilled into a single volume is enormously valuable. The first half of the book also contains the best analysis and explication yet written of the past century of work in the philosophy of language. I'm looking forward to teaching the subject again just so I can use this book."-Jeff Speaks, University of Notre Dame "This is a very fine overview of philosophy of language from the late nineteenth century to the present. It discusses all the important issues with great lucidity. The treatment of technical material so as to make it accessible to the uninitiated is masterful. In short, this is an absolutely first-rate book. I have no doubt that it will be very widely read."-Jeffrey King, Rutgers University

Andrei Marmor is professor of philosophy, Maurice Jones Jr. Professor of Law, and director of the Center for Law and Philosophy at the University of Southern California. His books include Social Conventions: From Language to Law (Princeton) and Law in the Age of Pluralism. In Philosophy of Law, Andrei Marmor provides a comprehensive analysis of contemporary debates about the fundamental nature of law-an issue that has been at the heart of legal philosophy for centuries. What the law is seems to be a matter of fact, but this fact has normative significance: it tells people what they ought to do. Marmor argues that the myriad questions raised by the factual and normative features of law actually depend on the possibility of reduction-whether the legal domain can be explained in terms of something else, more foundational in nature. In addition to exploring the major issues in contemporary legal thought, Philosophy of Law provides a critical analysis of the people and ideas that have dominated the field in past centuries. It will be essential reading for anyone curious about the nature of law. "This superb book, written by one of the world's foremost philosophers of law, is a highly welcome addition to the jurisprudential literature, one marked by its immense pedagogical value and scholarly excellence. It provides, in clear, accessible language, an informed, sympathetic treatment of all the main issues and theories within the discipline of contemporary analytic legal philosophy. Not only will it be of immense value to the student first encountering the field, it will equally engage the interest of the seasoned scholar and advanced student keen to know Marmor's own, distinctive take on these important matters. A remarkable achievement."-W. J. Waluchow, author of A Common Law Theory of Judicial Review "This is an excellent book. The quality of argumentation is first-class, and readers will gain significant benefits from Marmor's careful, well-argued, and thorough analysis."-Brian Bix, University of Minnesota

Alexis G. Burgess is assistant professor of philosophy at Stanford University. He is coeditor of Metasemantics: New Essays on the Foundations of Meaning. John P. Burgess is the John N. Woodhull Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University. His books include Philosophical Logic and Fixing Frege (both Princeton). This is a concise introduction to current philosophical debates about truth. Combining philosophical and technical material, the book is organized around, but not limited to, the view known as deflationism. In clear language, Burgess and Burgess cover a wide range of issues, including the nature of truth, the status of truth-value gaps, the relationship between truth and meaning, relativism and pluralism about truth, and semantic paradoxes from Alfred Tarski to Saul Kripke and beyond. The book provides a rich picture of contemporary philosophical theorizing about truth, one that will be essential reading for philosophy students as well as philosophers specializing in other areas. "Truth is remarkably succinct. . . . Yet it covers a great amount of ground with accessible discussions of a variety of topics. . . . [I]ntelligent and provocative."---Michael P. Lynch, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "Burgess and Burgess's book will be widely praised for wielding together the current approaches to truth and to paradoxes, without ceasing to be essentially introductory. Surely, this is an important achievement."---Andreas Karitzis, Metascience "Professors of philosophy, the authors have done a succinct and critical analysis of some theories of truth: deflationism, indeterminacy, insolubility, realism, and antirealism. . . . Throughout the volume, one can see the mathematical precision of the reasoning of the concepts presented here that could be a model for all endeavours of research into complex areas of philosophy. This book could be an inspiration for further work on truth." "Surveying an important and much-discussed field, and balancing the nature and logic-and-paradox sides of truth in an easy-to-grasp fashion, this book is a major achievement. It is easily the best first step into truth studies available, but also an excellent short review for experts. It is difficult to write clearly and convey serious ideas about truth to nonspecialists, but the authors have somehow pulled it off."-JC Beall, University of Connecticut "This is a lively and well-written book by authors who know the field well and explain difficult ideas clearly and efficiently."-Matti Eklund, Cornell University

This concise book introduces nonphysicists to the core philosophical issues surrounding the nature and structure of space and time, and is also an ideal resource for physicists interested in the conceptual foundations of space-time theory. Tim Maudlin's broad historical overview examines Aristotelian and Newtonian accounts of space and time, and traces how Galileo's conceptions of relativity and space-time led to Einstein's special and general theories of relativity. Maudlin explains special relativity with enough detail to solve concrete physical problems while presenting general relativity in more qualitative terms. Additional topics include the Twins Paradox, the physical aspects of the Lorentz-FitzGerald contraction, the constancy of the speed of light, time travel, the direction of time, and more. • Introduces nonphysicists to the philosophical foundations of space-time theory • Provides a broad historical overview, from Aristotle to Einstein • Explains special relativity geometrically, emphasizing the intrinsic structure of space-time • Covers the Twins Paradox, Galilean relativity, time travel, and more • Requires only basic algebra and no formal knowledge of physics

One of the world's leading epistemologists provides a sophisticated, revisionist introduction to the subject. In this concise book, one of the world's leading epistemologists provides a sophisticated, revisionist introduction to the problem of knowledge in Western philosophy. Modern and contemporary accounts of epistemology tend to focus on limited questions of knowledge and skepticism, such as how we can know the external world, other minds, the past through memory, the future through induction, or the world's depth and structure through inference. This book steps back for a better view of the more general issues posed by the ancient Greek Pyrrhonists. Returning to and illuminating this older, broader epistemological tradition, Ernest Sosa develops an original account of the subject, giving it substance not with Cartesian theology but with science and common sense. Descartes is a part of this ancient tradition, but he goes beyond it by considering not just whether knowledge is possible at all but also how we can properly attain it. In Cartesian epistemology, Sosa finds a virtue-theoretic account, one that he extends beyond the Cartesian context. Once epistemology is viewed in this light, many of its problems can be solved or fall away. The result is an important reevaluation of epistemology that will be essential reading for students and teachers.

Øystein Linnebo is professor of philosophy at the University of Oslo, and previously held positions in Bristol, London, and Oxford. He is the coeditor of New Waves in the Philosophy of Mathematics and the author of Thin Objects: An Abstractionist Approach (forthcoming). A sophisticated, original introduction to the philosophy of mathematics from one of its leading contemporary scholars Mathematics is one of humanity's most successful yet puzzling endeavors. It is a model of precision and objectivity, but appears distinct from the empirical sciences because it seems to deliver nonexperiential knowledge of a nonphysical reality of numbers, sets, and functions. How can these two aspects of mathematics be reconciled? This concise book provides a systematic yet accessible introduction to the field that is trying to answer that question: the philosophy of mathematics. Written by Øystein Linnebo, one of the world's leading scholars on the subject, the book introduces all of the classical approaches to the field, including logicism, formalism, intuitionism, empiricism, and structuralism. It also contains accessible introductions to some more specialized issues, such as mathematical intuition, potential infinity, the iterative conception of sets, and the search for new mathematical axioms. The groundbreaking work of German mathematician and philosopher Gottlob Frege, one of the founders of analytic philosophy, figures prominently throughout the book. Other important thinkers whose work is introduced and discussed include Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, David Hilbert, Kurt Gödel, W. V. Quine, Paul Benacerraf, and Hartry H. Field. Sophisticated but clear and approachable, this is an essential introduction for all students and teachers of philosophy, as well as mathematicians and others who want to understand the foundations of mathematics. "[This book] is very, very good. Superbly clear, concise, well organised, it gives not only a very accessible introduction but also takes the reader all the way to the cutting edge of what philosophers are doing in the philosophy of mathematics. Above all, Linnebo writes as a fully engaged philosopher and makes his preferred choice of philosophical position clear. But this is no mere polemic: I felt he clearly and forcefully presents the strengths and weaknesses of all the philosophical positions he discusses."---Henri Laurie, Mathemafrica "Linnebo's slender volume is an admirable addition to the many existing books on the philosophy of mathematics. It is clear, concise, and well written. . . . All in all, this is an excellent introduction to the philosophy of mathematics and should be seriously considered by any individual interested in the subject." "This is a thought-provoking book, and is a useful addition to the textbook literature on this subject." "This book provides a nice lay of the land for anyone interested in contemporary philosophy of mathematics."---Gregory Lavers, Philosophy Mathematica "This is an excellent introduction to the philosophy of mathematics, with clear and careful coverage of both traditional topics and cutting-edge contemporary debates."-Roy T. Cook, University of Minnesota "This is a good introduction to the philosophy of mathematics-clear and concise, and with original observations and a coherent point of view."-John P. Burgess, Princeton University

Tim Maudlin is professor of philosophy at New York University. He is the author of Philosophy of Physics: Space and Time (Princeton), Quantum Non-Locality and Relativity: Metaphysical Intimations of Modern Physics, The Metaphysics within Physics, and Truth and Paradox. A sophisticated and original introduction to the philosophy of quantum mechanics from one of the world's leading philosophers of physics In this book, Tim Maudlin, one of the world's leading philosophers of physics, offers a sophisticated, original introduction to the philosophy of quantum mechanics. The briefest, clearest, and most refined account of his influential approach to the subject, the book will be invaluable to all students of philosophy and physics. Quantum mechanics holds a unique place in the history of physics. It has produced the most accurate predictions of any scientific theory, but, more astonishing, there has never been any agreement about what the theory implies about physical reality. Maudlin argues that the very term "quantum theory" is a misnomer. A proper physical theory should clearly describe what is there and what it does-yet standard textbooks present quantum mechanics as a predictive recipe in search of a physical theory. In contrast, Maudlin explores three proper theories that recover the quantum predictions: the indeterministic wavefunction collapse theory of Ghirardi, Rimini, and Weber; the deterministic particle theory of deBroglie and Bohm; and the conceptually challenging Many Worlds theory of Everett. Each offers a radically different proposal for the nature of physical reality, but Maudlin shows that none of them are what they are generally taken to be. "Maudlin's book . . . should have been subtitled 'Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Quantum Theory (But Were Afraid to Ask)' . . . its plain presentation style makes it a good introductory book for students and non-specialists. In short, it is highly recommended for anybody interested in quantum theory." "The book is a must for the serious reader of both philosophy and Physics."---P. R. S. Carvalho, Zentralblatt MATH "Tim Maudlin is one of the world's leading experts on the philosophy of physics, and he has a gift for digging deeply into foundations and explaining clearly what is there. This excellent book will be very valuable to students first encountering the philosophy of quantum mechanics. Maudlin's strategy of introducing the subject through eight experiments is itself worth the price of admission."-Sean Carroll, California Institute of Technology "This is an exceptionally clear account of a specific line in the interpretation of quantum mechanics, one that Tim Maudlin has been championing with increasing precision and care for twenty years, and which has found many adherents in the philosophy of physics community. The book also does a very good job of explaining, in nontechnical terms, the main conceptual puzzles of quantum mechanics in a style very conducive to understanding by philosophers. And Maudlin's way of getting at quantum weirdness through eight experiments is beautiful."-David Wallace, University of Southern California

John P. Burgess is professor of philosophy at Princeton University. His books include Fixing Frege and Truth, which was cowritten with his son, Alexis G. Burgess. A brief account of philosophical logic from one of the world's leading authorities Philosophical Logic is a clear and concise critical survey of nonclassical logics of philosophical interest written by one of the world's leading authorities on the subject. After giving an overview of classical logic, John Burgess introduces five central branches of nonclassical logic (temporal, modal, conditional, relevantistic, and intuitionistic), focusing on the sometimes problematic relationship between formal apparatus and intuitive motivation. Requiring minimal background and arranged to make the more technical material optional, the book offers a choice between an overview and in-depth study, and it balances the philosophical and technical aspects of the subject. The book emphasizes the relationship between models and the traditional goal of logic, the evaluation of arguments, and critically examines apparatus and assumptions that often are taken for granted. Philosophical Logic provides an unusually thorough treatment of conditional logic, unifying probabilistic and model-theoretic approaches. It underscores the variety of approaches that have been taken to relevantistic and related logics, and it stresses the problem of connecting formal systems to the motivating ideas behind intuitionistic mathematics. Each chapter ends with a brief guide to further reading. Philosophical Logic addresses students new to logic, philosophers working in other areas, and specialists in logic, providing both a sophisticated introduction and a new synthesis. "Burgess has managed to pack an amazing amount of good material into this short monograph, and it can be confidently recommended to any philosopher who wishes to go beyond an introductory logic course and venture into the wilds of philosophical logic. The technical details are of necessity sketchy, but the author provides the reader with helpful lists for further reading at the end of each chapter, as well as a good bibliography. This is an excellent little book, and deserves wide success."---Alasdair Urquhart, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "This book is interesting and useful. It enables readers to learn much in a short time. . . . It could be valuable for philosophers working in metaphysics and the philosophy of language who are not logic specialists."---Stephen McLeod, Philosophy in Review "[A] good starting point for exploring philosophical questions about logic, importantly by pondering the reasons for Burgess' sympathies and antipathies."---Paloma Nrez-llzarbe, Mathematical Reviews "Burgess does an admirable job of giving intuitive explanations of the concepts. . . . This book provides a solid overview of several important fields of philosophical logic. It gives the reader a crash course in a few, select, areas and points the reader in the right direction for more information."---Jared Smith, Plurilogue "Burgess does an admirable job of giving intuitive explanations of the concepts. . . . The book provides a solid overview of several important fields of philosophical logic. It gives the reader a crash course in a few, select, areas and points the reader in the right direction for more information in a given part of the field. It is not a bad choice for a student interested in what is out there in the philosophical logic field, so long as he or she accepts the dense technicalities."---Jared Smith, Plurilogue "Nicely done and very useful for someone who wants a compact and accessible introduction to nonclassical logic."-Kit Fine, New York University "This book is terrific. It covers the basics of philosophical logic in a lively, interesting, and informative way. Readers do not have to wade through pages and pages of technical material. Instead, they get the basics, and the big picture."-Stewart Shapiro, editor of The Oxfor

"One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014" Peter Godfrey-Smith is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center. He is the author of Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science and Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection. An essential introduction to the philosophy of biology This is a concise, comprehensive, and accessible introduction to the philosophy of biology written by a leading authority on the subject. Geared to philosophers, biologists, and students of both, the book provides sophisticated and innovative coverage of the central topics and many of the latest developments in the field. Emphasizing connections between biological theories and other areas of philosophy, and carefully explaining both philosophical and biological terms, Peter Godfrey-Smith discusses the relation between philosophy and science; examines the role of laws, mechanistic explanation, and idealized models in biological theories; describes evolution by natural selection; and assesses attempts to extend Darwin's mechanism to explain changes in ideas, culture, and other phenomena. Further topics include functions and teleology, individuality and organisms, species, the tree of life, and human nature. The book closes with detailed, cutting-edge treatments of the evolution of cooperation, of information in biology, and of the role of communication in living systems at all scales. Authoritative and up-to-date, this is an essential guide for anyone interested in the important philosophical issues raised by the biological sciences. "Tracing the history of the great debates and ideas that punctuated this specialty, Peter Godfrey-Smith offers a clear and accessible introduction, which extends to the review of its current key issues. This book will interest course philosophers and biologists, but also sociologists and psychologists, as the issues come from classic biology and philosophy."---Romaric Jannel, Liens Socio "Peter Godfrey-Smith's Philosophy of Biology . . . [is] a great way to get up to speed on all the issues that working biologists love to debate amongst themselves. . . . [N]on-specialists should not be put off. Godfrey-Smith's style is engaging, almost conversational."---John Farrell, Forbes.com "Here, Godfrey-Smith, a prominent and prolific scholar working in the field, delivers an elegant and stimulating analysis of key areas in the life sciences where conceptual questions arise regularly. . . . Godfrey-Smith provides an exemplar of expositional clarity and philosophical insight for those who would imitate his approach in these domains." "[O]ne of the very best textbooks in its field."---Brian Garvey, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "[A]lthough it is too brief to be the only text for any course, it would be a perfect addition to or foundation for the reading list for many. And no practicing biologist who reads it is likely to think her time was wasted."---W. Ford Doolittle, Current Biology "Philosophy of Biology can be recommended mainly as an excellent resource for teachers. They will find an up to date overview of important topics and can rely on the further reading sections to supplement this volume with additional material."---Christina Behme, Metapsychology "Philosophy of Biology is a valuable addition to the introductions already out there, and one that stands out in many ways."---Joeri Witteveen, History and Philosophy of Life Sciences "This accessible book does justice both to the subject and the reader. With admirable clarity, Peter Godfrey-Smith demonstrates why the philosophy of biology is one of the most exciting areas in contemporary philosophy."-Philip Kitcher, Columbia University "This is a provocative and exciting look at many of the central issues in the philosophy of biology. Godfrey-Smith's book will shape the philosophical discussion for many years to come."-Michael Weisberg, University of Pennsylvania "Clearly written and up to date, this valuable book