What is the relation between concepts and the world? And how do we arrive at a conceptual scheme that provides a perspicuous way of representing reality? This way of putting the question invokes one of the central polarities that has defined modern philosophy, including the traditions of Locke, Descartes, and Kant. It is the contrast …
How does philosophy help guide the sciences?
Philosophy observes the sciences. But it has also played a role in the formation of the sciences. And this is especially true in the case of the social sciences. The idea here is an elusive one. It is that the founders of the social sciences – perhaps similar to all intellectual or creative founders – …
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What is a "moral intuition"?
We have all had this experience: we hear of a complicated social or personal event, and we think inwardly, "that's wrong!" A co-worker tells us an embarrassing private story about another co-worker; we hear on the news that the number of children in poverty has increased; we read about a mining company that has dumped …
What kind of knowledge can philosophy offer?
Let us say that knowledge is "a set of true statements based on compelling reasons." (This is the same as the familiar definition of knowledge as "justified true belief".) Philosophers offer a variety of claims, and they offer arguments for their positions. But do they offer knowledge about anything? Is it possible to say that …
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Understanding Society 