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The Future of Naturalism
Naturalism is widely regarded as the dominant philosophical worldview in the West. The prestige of science and the power of technology have driven naturalism to prominence, even as deep questions mount on all sides.In this volume of all new essays, prominent philosophers consider a wide variety of challenges to naturalism, proposing improved defenses and novel developments in this influential worldview. Some essays question whether naturalism is a unified philosophy, and try to determine how one or another variety of naturalism has an advantage. Other essays defend naturalism's approaches to religion, the mind, experience, morality, and society. To ensure that naturalism has a strong future, this volume's authors are determined to help reformulate its principles for the 21st century.Among the contributors are Mario Bunge (McGill University), Paul Kurtz (Center for Inquiry and State University of New York at Buffalo), John Lachs (Vanderbilt University), Isaac Levi (Columbia University), Joseph Margolis (Temple University), Nicholas Rescher (University of Pittsburgh), John R. Shook (Center for Inquiry), and other leading philosophers.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2009
35 people want to read
About the author
John R. Shook
66 books13 followersJohn R. Shook teaches philosophy at Bowie State University in Maryland. He is coeditor of The Blackwell Companion to Pragmatism and Neuroscience, Neurophilosophy, and Pragmatism.
He is also an instructor of science education for the ‘Science and the Public’ EdM online program at the University at Buffalo. In recent years he has been Adjunct Instructor in Philosophy and Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia; and Associate Fellow at the Center for Neurotechnology Studies in the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies in Arlington, Virginia. Since 2015 he has contributed research for the US Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Multilayer Assessment (SMA) program. At Georgetown University, he works with James Giordano of the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics, and has mentored students in its Medical Ethics course. Dr. Shook’s research areas include history and philosophy of science, philosophy and ethics of technology, neurophilosophy, ethics and moral psychology, bioethics and neuroethics, medical humanities, and science-religion dialogue.
He is also an instructor of science education for the ‘Science and the Public’ EdM online program at the University at Buffalo. In recent years he has been Adjunct Instructor in Philosophy and Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia; and Associate Fellow at the Center for Neurotechnology Studies in the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies in Arlington, Virginia. Since 2015 he has contributed research for the US Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Multilayer Assessment (SMA) program. At Georgetown University, he works with James Giordano of the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics, and has mentored students in its Medical Ethics course. Dr. Shook’s research areas include history and philosophy of science, philosophy and ethics of technology, neurophilosophy, ethics and moral psychology, bioethics and neuroethics, medical humanities, and science-religion dialogue.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 25, 2011
The Future of Naturalism Edited by John R. Shook and Paul Kurtz
"The Future of Naturalism" is a volume of fourteen essays by prominent philosophers about naturalism in the 21st century. Most of the essays came from a 2007 conference held by Center for Inquiry. This 272-page book is composed of the following fourteen essays:
1. The Future of Naturalism: Nature and Culture in Perspectival Duality by Nicholas Rescher
2. Reclaiming Naturalism by Joseph Margolis
3. Advantages and Limits of Naturalism by Mario Bunge
4. Primitive Naturalism by John Lachs
5. Pragmatic Natures by Sandra B. Rosenthal
6. The Value of Pragmatic Naturalism by John Ryder
7. Wayward Naturalism: Saving Dewey from Himself by Isacc Levi
8. The Fecundity of Naturalism: Reflections on Dewey's Methodology by James Gouinlock
9. Pragmatism and the Naturalization of Religion by John Peter Anton
10. Eupraxsophy and Naturalism by Paul Kurtz
11. Naturalizing Jurisprudence: Three Approaches by Brian Leiter
12. Work in Naturalized Epistemology by Lynn Hankinson Nelson and Jack Nelson
13. Naturalism's Unfinished Project: Making Philosophy more Scientific by Randell Dipert
14. Why Is There a Universe at All, Rather Than Just Nothing by Adolf Grünbaum
Positives:
1. It's about the philosophy of naturalism, the most influential philosophical movement in the modern world.
2. This book of essays is about the future course of the naturalistic outlook and the challenges it faces.
3. Everything you wanted to know about naturalism and its many manifestations and then some.
4. Naturalism as an opposing philosophy against spiritualism.
5. If you are a philosopher or enjoy philosophy this is a must read.
6. Mario Bunge does a wonderful job of explaining logic and mathematics as human creations. An excellent essay.
7. Some great quotes, "There is no such thing as natural law; all legal codes are artificial."
8. "The scientific method, as representing a self-corrective rather than a building-block model of knowledge, is the only way of determining the truth of belief."
9. The importance of language.
10. Dewey's methodology in detail.
11. The justification of religion is....
12. Paul Kurtz as expected provided one of the best essays.
13. Mirror neurons and intentions and its role in childhood development.
14. Where would we be without evolution?
15. Naturalized epistemology and the need to include social and ethical issues.
16. The need to use something like the scientific method in philosophy.
17. How Einstein's theory of gravitation debunks Swinburne's hypothesis.
Negatives:
1. This is definitely not a book written for the masses. This is intended for philosophers interested in naturalism.
2. Some essays were too dry and not enjoyable to read at all.
3. Philosophy is about providing enlightenment instead of obscuring it but many times the book left me in the dark. Lucid thoughts were not a trademark of this book.
4. Once again, the inability to be succinct left something to be desired. A lot of the philosophers took the scenic route to get to their points and in doing so lost me.
5. The book merited a comprehensive summary.
6. Charts illustrating the various forms of naturalism would have added value.
In summary, this book is intended for philosophers. I would give this book four stars if you are a philosopher and three stars for the rest of us. Overall the book was a mixed bag for me. It's too dry and at times exhausting to read. The essays ranged from very good to almost unintelligible. I value the contributions of philosophers but my biggest complaint is the need for philosophers to reach a consensus and be able to convey thoughts in a lucid manner.
"The Future of Naturalism" is a volume of fourteen essays by prominent philosophers about naturalism in the 21st century. Most of the essays came from a 2007 conference held by Center for Inquiry. This 272-page book is composed of the following fourteen essays:
1. The Future of Naturalism: Nature and Culture in Perspectival Duality by Nicholas Rescher
2. Reclaiming Naturalism by Joseph Margolis
3. Advantages and Limits of Naturalism by Mario Bunge
4. Primitive Naturalism by John Lachs
5. Pragmatic Natures by Sandra B. Rosenthal
6. The Value of Pragmatic Naturalism by John Ryder
7. Wayward Naturalism: Saving Dewey from Himself by Isacc Levi
8. The Fecundity of Naturalism: Reflections on Dewey's Methodology by James Gouinlock
9. Pragmatism and the Naturalization of Religion by John Peter Anton
10. Eupraxsophy and Naturalism by Paul Kurtz
11. Naturalizing Jurisprudence: Three Approaches by Brian Leiter
12. Work in Naturalized Epistemology by Lynn Hankinson Nelson and Jack Nelson
13. Naturalism's Unfinished Project: Making Philosophy more Scientific by Randell Dipert
14. Why Is There a Universe at All, Rather Than Just Nothing by Adolf Grünbaum
Positives:
1. It's about the philosophy of naturalism, the most influential philosophical movement in the modern world.
2. This book of essays is about the future course of the naturalistic outlook and the challenges it faces.
3. Everything you wanted to know about naturalism and its many manifestations and then some.
4. Naturalism as an opposing philosophy against spiritualism.
5. If you are a philosopher or enjoy philosophy this is a must read.
6. Mario Bunge does a wonderful job of explaining logic and mathematics as human creations. An excellent essay.
7. Some great quotes, "There is no such thing as natural law; all legal codes are artificial."
8. "The scientific method, as representing a self-corrective rather than a building-block model of knowledge, is the only way of determining the truth of belief."
9. The importance of language.
10. Dewey's methodology in detail.
11. The justification of religion is....
12. Paul Kurtz as expected provided one of the best essays.
13. Mirror neurons and intentions and its role in childhood development.
14. Where would we be without evolution?
15. Naturalized epistemology and the need to include social and ethical issues.
16. The need to use something like the scientific method in philosophy.
17. How Einstein's theory of gravitation debunks Swinburne's hypothesis.
Negatives:
1. This is definitely not a book written for the masses. This is intended for philosophers interested in naturalism.
2. Some essays were too dry and not enjoyable to read at all.
3. Philosophy is about providing enlightenment instead of obscuring it but many times the book left me in the dark. Lucid thoughts were not a trademark of this book.
4. Once again, the inability to be succinct left something to be desired. A lot of the philosophers took the scenic route to get to their points and in doing so lost me.
5. The book merited a comprehensive summary.
6. Charts illustrating the various forms of naturalism would have added value.
In summary, this book is intended for philosophers. I would give this book four stars if you are a philosopher and three stars for the rest of us. Overall the book was a mixed bag for me. It's too dry and at times exhausting to read. The essays ranged from very good to almost unintelligible. I value the contributions of philosophers but my biggest complaint is the need for philosophers to reach a consensus and be able to convey thoughts in a lucid manner.
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June 11, 2019Not bad overall, very informative, though the technical language used in some chapters would be offputting to those not familiar with philosophical jargon. I'd give this one at least one more rereading, maybe more. Definitely a book to revisit from time to time.
June 16, 2015
Most of the essays here are pretty boring.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews