Many philosophers these days consider themselves naturalists, but it's doubtful any two of them intend the same position by the term. In this book, Penelope Maddy describes and practises a particularly austere form of naturalism called 'Second Philosophy'. Without a definitive criterion for what counts as 'science' and what doesn't, Second Philosophy can't be specified directly - 'trust only the methods of science!' or some such thing - so Maddy proceeds instead by illustrating the behaviours of an idealized inquirer she calls the 'Second Philosopher'. This Second Philosopher begins from perceptual common sense and progresses from there to systematic observation, active experimentation, theory formation and testing, working all the while to assess, correct and improve her methods as she goes. Second Philosophy is then the result of the Second Philosopher's investigations. Maddy delineates the Second Philosopher's approach by tracing her reactions to various familiar skeptical and transcendental views (Descartes, Kant, Carnap, late Putnam, van Fraassen), comparing her methods to those of other self-described naturalists (especially Quine), and examining a prominent contemporary debate (between disquotationalists and correspondence theorists in the theory of truth) to extract a properly second-philosophical line of thought. She then undertakes to practise Second Philosophy in her reflections on the ground of logical truth, the methodology, ontology and epistemology of mathematics, and the general prospects for metaphysics naturalized.
Reviews
This is a very good book. It is reflective, highly informative, insightful, illuminating...It has lots of new ideas and suggestions. It means to open things up, and it does...It is rich in several dimensions. There is much learning in it, and much to be learned from it. It is very agreeable and enjoyable... * Barry Stroud, Mind *
The book is engaging, wide-ranging, well argued, thorough, informative, and witty. * Harvey Siegel, British Journal for the Philosophy of Science *
...contains much food for philosophilcal thought. * Michael Potter, TLS *
The book is excellent: the thesis is refreshing, the presentation clear and forthright, the argumentation careful, the research thorough and informed. It contains a wealth of material that should appeal to far more readers than those of us who are already susceptible to second philosophy. It presents the best exploration and defence of naturalism I know of. * Michael Liston, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *



Book Information
ISBN 9780199273669
Author Penelope Maddy
Format Hardback
Page Count 462
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 1g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 164mm * 32mm