Smith, John E. Contemporary American Philosophy. London: George Allen & Unwin. 1970.

Abstract

"American philosophy, like God, has been declared by some, non-existent by others, and bogged down in academic irrelevance by still others. The fact is, as the following essays show, all three opinions are either false or in need of radical revision. If one identifies philosophy exclusively with one particular school or style of thought and denies the name to all other positions, a country like America, embracing, as it does, a plurality of philosophical outlooks, is likely to be thought of as having no philosophy at all. If, however, one sees philosophy as tending inevitably to more than one point of view and one manner of thinking, and if one regards the critical dialogue between different views as belonging to the nature of philosophy itself, America must be seen as philosophically rich and fertile. In one important respect, it must be admitted, critics of philosophy in America have been right; the development and teaching of philosophy almost exclusively within the colleges and universities has resulted in thinking which is often directed, not to the perplexing issues of existence but to what other philosophers have written or said. Santayana issued a warning years ago in which he said that the academy would kill philosophy in America. I cannot agree that this has happened, but only a fool would ignore the danger hinted at in his somber remark. Philosophy confined to classrooms, textbooks, and professors breeds a pedantic spirit. Happily, as the essays in this volume demonstrate, no such spirit prevails; philosophy is conceived by the contributors as neither insulated nor isolated from the facts and concrete situations that go to make up the world - scientific, political, psychological, speculative, ethical, religious, and social. While these essays do not represent any single point of view, all of the contributors are united in their belief that philosophical thinking makes a difference to human life in thought and action.Nor is the "making a difference" to be construed in some narrow, utilitarian sense that is supposed to spell expediency. It means instead that man cannot hope to realize himself in the world and live at peace with his nighbors without some clear understanding both of his own nature and the nature of the universe in which he finds himself. And in order to achieve that understanding, he must attempt to resolve difficult questions of a theoretical such such as the possibility of human freedom in a scientifically conceived world, the impact of language on our view of reality, the rational foundations of our moral judgments and of our religious beliefs, the meaning of tragedy and the rationale of democracy, the role of philosophy in self-knowledge and the bearing of technology on our ideals and purposes. The aim behind the present volume is to present a cross-section of the philosophical thinking that has been taking place on the American scene. No one could claim to offer, in a volume of this size, adequate representation of every standpoint - such is the complexity and variety of outlook involved. Major strands of thinking are represented and a reader willing to make the effort will find himself rewarded with some understanding of the American philosophical situation after the middle of the century." - from the Introduction