This book conducts a historico-critical investigation into a proposal to transform philosophy in the early twentieth century.

Driven by the Great Differentiation, the emancipation of the sciences from philosophy in the nineteenth century, several early twentieth-century philosophical movements advocated the transformation of philosophy from an endeavor to unify all conceivable human knowledge into a practice focused on the logical analysis of the differentiated sciences and broader human knowledge. However, this proposal was not subsequently adopted, leading to the establishment of academic philosophy as a discipline characterized by unique philosophical problems and solutions. Drawing on a variety of sources, this book posits that the transformation proposal offers crucial insights for understanding the history of philosophy, especially at its critical turning point in the early twentieth century. Moreover, although not pursued in academic philosophy today, this proposal still offers insights for rethinking the future role of philosophy. In response to Max Weber's fundamental challenge to philosophy post-Differentiation, it is argued that logical analysis offers a viable methodological approach and that the realm of values serves as a remaining substantive domain for practical philosophy.

The book will be attractive to researchers and students interested in the history of philosophy and science as well as general intellectual history.

About the Author

Bohang Chen is an associate researcher in the School of Philosophy, Zhejiang University. He specializes in history and logic of science, and history of philosophy. He has published controversial but innovative articles on vitalism, Darwinism, logical empiricism, and related issues.

Book Information
ISBN 9781032671895
Author Bohang Chen
Format Hardback
Page Count 186
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd