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The Evolution of Modern Philosophy
The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics: Making Sense of Things
This book is concerned with the history of metaphysics since Descartes. Taking as its definition of metaphysics 'the most general attempt to make sense of things', it charts the evolution of this enterprise through various competing conceptions of its possibility, scope, and limits. The book is divided into three parts, dealing respectively with the early modern period, the late modern period in the analytic tradition, and the late modern period in non-analytic traditions. In its unusually wide range, A. W. Moore's study refutes the tired old cliché that there is some unbridgeable gulf between analytic philosophy and philosophy of other kinds. It also advances its own distinctive and compelling conception of what metaphysics is and why it matters. Moore explores how metaphysics can help us to cope with continually changing demands on our humanity by making sense of things in ways that are radically new.
692 pages, Hardcover
First published December 6, 2011
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341 people want to read
About the author
A.W. Moore
24 books14 followersAdrian William Moore (born 1956) is a Professor of Philosophy and Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Oxford and Tutorial Fellow of St Hugh's College, Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 11, 2015
I remember when I started reading this book, end of June. I opened the file on my e-book and was immediately sucked into it. The scope of the book, its goal and its questions intrigued and were exactly what I had hoped the book to be. I have read through all the 800 pages, even though my e-reader somehow couldn't manage the file and kept crashing every chapter (after which I had to wait for fifteen minutes for it to respond). With this I mean to illustrate how motivated I was to take in all the wonderful information this book provides.
The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics is an extensive work on the most important metaphysics after Descartes. Moore did his best to find a definition of this hard-to-define discipline of philosophy and came up with the following, smart definition: 'The most general attempt to make sense of things.' As simple as this definition sounds, it is quite ingenious and enough to be able to tell a story in which all the great philosophers can have their share.
And what a story it is. Metaphysics is getting to the essence of things, starting often with what it is we can know. It needs also to be self-conscious in order to reach this, that is, it needs to explain why it can explain what we can explain (excuse if you feel dizzy after reading that sentence). Moore highlights this and shows us the recurrent theme of transcendent idealism (as propagated by Kant). Moore uses themes like these smartly to present the history of metaphysics as a story of evolution. Arguments get twisted around, problems get resolved and by studying what has been, one can understand why philosophers stress certain points that they make.
I would also like to applaud the honesty with which Moore works. Every commentary is subjective, and Moore is explicitly clear on where his opinion is involved, and where those of other critics. He leaves room for both analytic and continental philosophers, without picking a side. This is not common in philosophy, where arguments often get presented as if they were neutral (but the selection of arguments is often a tool of a writer to propagate his own view).
This book has broadened my view on metaphysics. It has given me a deeper insight into the reasons of certain philosophers for developing their theories in the way that they have developed them. It is a book that gives food for thought, does not avoid criticism of the great minds of the past and ends in the most climatic way. It ends with a call to view metaphysics as a humanistic discipline: a discipline that can give us guidance for our most important questions. I couldn't agree more.
The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics is an extensive work on the most important metaphysics after Descartes. Moore did his best to find a definition of this hard-to-define discipline of philosophy and came up with the following, smart definition: 'The most general attempt to make sense of things.' As simple as this definition sounds, it is quite ingenious and enough to be able to tell a story in which all the great philosophers can have their share.
And what a story it is. Metaphysics is getting to the essence of things, starting often with what it is we can know. It needs also to be self-conscious in order to reach this, that is, it needs to explain why it can explain what we can explain (excuse if you feel dizzy after reading that sentence). Moore highlights this and shows us the recurrent theme of transcendent idealism (as propagated by Kant). Moore uses themes like these smartly to present the history of metaphysics as a story of evolution. Arguments get twisted around, problems get resolved and by studying what has been, one can understand why philosophers stress certain points that they make.
I would also like to applaud the honesty with which Moore works. Every commentary is subjective, and Moore is explicitly clear on where his opinion is involved, and where those of other critics. He leaves room for both analytic and continental philosophers, without picking a side. This is not common in philosophy, where arguments often get presented as if they were neutral (but the selection of arguments is often a tool of a writer to propagate his own view).
This book has broadened my view on metaphysics. It has given me a deeper insight into the reasons of certain philosophers for developing their theories in the way that they have developed them. It is a book that gives food for thought, does not avoid criticism of the great minds of the past and ends in the most climatic way. It ends with a call to view metaphysics as a humanistic discipline: a discipline that can give us guidance for our most important questions. I couldn't agree more.
July 28, 2019
If you're an analytic looking to explore the continental or vice versa, this book is a fantastic example of comparitive reading though the history of philosophy.
August 14, 2018
A God's Eye View of Modern Metaphysics
65 hours, 40 minutes and 38 seconds later, I find myself having completed this monumental work. For anyone interested in metaphysics, or indeed, is a philosophy student, this book provides a thorough overview and gives the reader a God's eye view of the evolution of the discipline over the last 400 years.
In more detail, A.W. Moore does not want to simply write a history of X said this and Y said that, but to engage with the ideas that the philosophers presented and provide a narrative that the reader can follow. This enables the reader to see before his/her very eyes how one philosopher took his (no hers in this book unfortunately) predecessors work and built upon it, or tried to refute it. In addition, Moore asks three questions in the beginning, a) the transcendence question; can we make sense beyond? b) the novelty question; who are 'we'? and c) the creativity question; is there scope for making sense of things in new ways?, and tries to link possible answers from all 20 philosophers featured in his book (there are 21 chapters, but Wittgenstein gets 2 chapters, one for the Tracatus and one for the Investigations, so 20 philosophers).
If you want to engage with the book properly, it is going to be a long read. The main reason for this is that there is not one idea that is being entertained through the book, but rather, 20. This requires the reader to get into grips with new terminologies and idiosyncrasies in every chapter and to play close attention to how Moore explains what the philosopher has to say about how me make sense of things.
The chapters I found most interesting where the ones on Spinoza, Quine, Wittgenstein (Tractatus), Bergson and Derrida. Indeed, what I found amazing was how reasonable Derrida appeared to be. This showcases Moore's careful and respectful exegesis of philosophers from both the analytic and continental tradition. Indeed, I believe that many modern philosophers should take note, as by dismissing an entire branch of philosophy (for whatever preconceptions), one is philosophically speaking, poorer.
As a concluding remark, a friend of mine told me at one point regarding Moore's fantastic book: "all respectable households should have a copy of this book". I concur.
65 hours, 40 minutes and 38 seconds later, I find myself having completed this monumental work. For anyone interested in metaphysics, or indeed, is a philosophy student, this book provides a thorough overview and gives the reader a God's eye view of the evolution of the discipline over the last 400 years.
In more detail, A.W. Moore does not want to simply write a history of X said this and Y said that, but to engage with the ideas that the philosophers presented and provide a narrative that the reader can follow. This enables the reader to see before his/her very eyes how one philosopher took his (no hers in this book unfortunately) predecessors work and built upon it, or tried to refute it. In addition, Moore asks three questions in the beginning, a) the transcendence question; can we make sense beyond? b) the novelty question; who are 'we'? and c) the creativity question; is there scope for making sense of things in new ways?, and tries to link possible answers from all 20 philosophers featured in his book (there are 21 chapters, but Wittgenstein gets 2 chapters, one for the Tracatus and one for the Investigations, so 20 philosophers).
If you want to engage with the book properly, it is going to be a long read. The main reason for this is that there is not one idea that is being entertained through the book, but rather, 20. This requires the reader to get into grips with new terminologies and idiosyncrasies in every chapter and to play close attention to how Moore explains what the philosopher has to say about how me make sense of things.
The chapters I found most interesting where the ones on Spinoza, Quine, Wittgenstein (Tractatus), Bergson and Derrida. Indeed, what I found amazing was how reasonable Derrida appeared to be. This showcases Moore's careful and respectful exegesis of philosophers from both the analytic and continental tradition. Indeed, I believe that many modern philosophers should take note, as by dismissing an entire branch of philosophy (for whatever preconceptions), one is philosophically speaking, poorer.
As a concluding remark, a friend of mine told me at one point regarding Moore's fantastic book: "all respectable households should have a copy of this book". I concur.
February 14, 2021
I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of analysis offered in this book considering how little was the space dedicated to each philosopher, but what really amazed me what Moore's own thesis, with which he unifies the history of modern philosophy, that metaphysics at its core is the quest to make sense of things and therefore when he gets to contemporary views, such as Quine and Lewis, we are dealing with this idea of 'making sense of making sense of things' which, perhaps, is the most precise description of contemporary analytic metaphysics I have encountered. This captures exactly the spirit that has made 'metametaphysics' possible.
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September 14, 2022After struggling my way through Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz, I ran into Hume. He hit me like a train and I realized that the author (Moore) had made me struggle on purpose just to let me experience the evolutionary path Hume had to go.
In my opinion/belief, the philosophers of the past, who lack -our- modern scientific insights such as neurological concepts about cognition, emotions and so on, have tried to fill that gap with their insights.
I can't wait to read on!
I'll keep you informed!
In my opinion/belief, the philosophers of the past, who lack -our- modern scientific insights such as neurological concepts about cognition, emotions and so on, have tried to fill that gap with their insights.
I can't wait to read on!
I'll keep you informed!
philosophy-to-read
March 27, 2014
January 1, 2024
This book is just as much a defense of "doing metaphysics" as it is an actual history. One can easil
Want to read
April 18, 2020History of philosophy- read pt. I
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews