A sensible discussion of topics where silliness often masquerades
as sophistication. Haack (Philosophy/Univ. of Miami) challenges the
"fads, fashions, and false dichotomies" of recent philosophy,
appealing to anyone troubled by the "irrationalist tendencies of
our times." She is an epistemologist concerned with the conduct of
inquiry, the conditions for obtaining knowledge, and the status of
truth, and takes up these themes in essays on pragmatism,
relativism, affirmative action, multiculturalism, and, most
prominently, feminism. Throughout, her goal is to explode
convenient assumptions that set up intellectually limiting
dualisms. Consider the implications of conceiving philosophy as
either socially constructed or completely alienated from a social
context that could give it meaning, for example. Recognizing only
such extremes serves the purposes of those who favor them because
such extremes allow an attack on one to pose as a sufficient
argument for the other. What is lost, beyond the ability to inject
a level of subtlety into the discussion, is any modest claim to
truth-seeking, any vision of a scholarly production of knowledge.
Haack is especially upset by the manifestation of this development
among feminist theorists. She sees a shift over the last two
decades from a feminist philosophy asserting the common humanity of
men and women to an "ambitious, imperialist feminism which stresses
the 'woman's point of view.' "Feminist epistemologists insist that
patriarchal agendas have shaped the production of knowledge in the
past and that they are constructing an alternative. They assume
that knowledge is unavoidably political, consequently the issue is
not truth, but whose agenda is served. Haack's rejoinder is that
sexist ideas have indeed been promoted as true, but this hardly
means there is no truth or that seeking it is "ideological humbug."
She argues that reducing epistemology to politics ultimately makes
women more rather than less vulnerable, and that everyone benefits
when seeking knowledge is about truth rather than hyperbole. A
refreshing alternative to the extremism that characterizes so much
rhetoric today. (Kirkus Reviews)
Forthright and wryly humorous, philosopher Susan Haack deploys her
penetrating analytic skills on some of the most highly charged
cultural and social debates of recent years. Relativism,
multiculturalism, feminism, affirmative action, pragmatisms old and
new, science, literature, the future of the academy and of
philosophy itself--all come under her keen scrutiny in "Manifesto
of a Passionate Moderate,"
"The virtue of Haack's book, and I mean "virtue" in the ethical
sense, is that it embodies the attitude that it exalts. . . Haack's
voice is urbane, sensible, passionate--the voice of philosophy that
matters. How good to hear it again."--Jonathan Rauch, "Reason"
"A tough mind, confident of its power, making an art of logic . . .
a cool mastery."--Paul R. Gross, "Wilson Quarterly"
"Few people are better able to defend the notion of truth, and in
strong, clear prose, than Susan Haack . . . a philosopher of great
distinction."--Hugh Lloyd-Jones, "National Review"
"If you relish acute observation and straight talk, this is a book
to read."--"Key Reporter" (Phi Beta Kappa)
"Everywhere in this book there is the refreshing breeze of common
sense, patiently but inexorably blowing."--Roger Kimball, "Times
Literary Supplement"
"A refreshing alternative to the extremism that characterizes so
much rhetoric today."--"Kirkus Reviews"
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