Synopses & Reviews
Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914) was an American philosopher, physicist, mathematician, and the founder of pragmatism. Despire his importance in the history of philosophy, a unified statment of his thought has been unavailable. With this publication, readers at long last are offered the philosopher's only known, complete, and coherent account of his own work. Originally delivered as the Cambridge Conferences Lectures of 1898,
Reasoning and the Logic of Things is the most accessible and thorough introduction to Peirce's mature thought to be found within the compass of a single book.
Beginning with an explanation of the nature of philosophy, Peirce proceeds to illustrate his claim that mathematics provides the foundation of our logic and metaphysics. We find here the clearest formulation of an idea present in Peirce's thought since the 1860s, the distinction between three kinds of reasoning: induction, deduction, and retroduction. Then follows an introduction to Peirce's chief logical doctrines, as well as his attempts to provide a classification of the sciences, a theory of categories, and a theory of science. In conclusion, turning from "reasoning" to the "logic of things," Peirce called for an evolutionary cosmology to explain the reality of laws and described the kinds of reasoning he employed in developing this cosmology.
At the urging of his friend William James, Peirce made an uncharacteristic effort in these lectures to present his ideas in terms intelligible to a general audience--those without advanced training in logic and philosophy. The introductory materials by Ketner and Putman add to the volume's lucidity. Consequently, this book will be a valuable source for readers outside of the circle of Peirce specialists.
Synopsis
Beginning with an explanation of the nature of philosophy, Peirce proceeds to illustrate his claim that mathematics provides the foundation of our logic and metaphysics.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [271]-288) and index.
About the Author
Kenneth Laine Ketneris Charles Sanders Peirce Professor of Philosophy at <>Texas Tech University.Hilary Putnamis Cogan University Professor Emeritus, <>Harvard University.
Table of Contents
Editorial Procedures
Abbreviations
Introduction: The Consequences of Mathematics
Kenneth Laine Ketner and Hilary Putman Comment on the Lectures
Hilary Putman Lecture One: Philosophy and the Conduct of Life
Lecture Two: Types of Reasoning
[Exordium for Lecture Three]
Lecture Three: The Logic of Relatives
Lecture Four: First Rule of Logic
Lecture Five: Training in Reasoning
Lecture Six: Causation and Force
Lecture Seven: Habit
Lecture Eight: The Logic of Continuity
Notes
Index