Philosophical practice

Author: (American) Richard Shusterman
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: Many years ago, William James and John Dewey warned us about the dangers of the specialization and narrowness of the philosophical discipline. Richard Shusterman has admirably joined the tradition of pragmatism, keeping this warning in mind, and he strongly advocates the need to practice one's philosophy, to revitalize a nearly forgotten tradition of philosophical life, one that can be traced back to Socrates. In a rich and insightful style, he discusses issues such as aesthetics, liberalism, democracy, bodily experience, rap music, and Jewish identity. The common theme of these diverse inquiries is a passionate concern for living a sincere philosophical life in today's complex and fragmented world. How should philosophical practice engage with one's life plan? To answer this question, the book examines the general overview of philosophical life as manifested in the 20th century, analyzes its fundamental dimensions, and explores the crucial philosophical issues it raises, ranging from epistemology, ethics, and political theory to aesthetics, corporeal studies, and racial theory. In elaborating his own concept of philosophical life, he critically incorporates the views of Dewey, thereby providing a very useful comprehensive survey of various types of contemporary pragmatism while clarifying the meaning of philosophical life.