Nothing So Absurd: An Invitation to Philosophy

208 Pages·2003·0.83 MB·English

by  Phillip Hoffmann

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N O T H I N G S O A B S U R D
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N O T H I N G S O A B S U R D
An Invitation to Philosophy
P H I L L I P H O F F M A N N
broadview press
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© 2003 Phillip Hoffmann
All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication reproduced, transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or
stored in a retrieval system, without prior written consent of the publisher–or in the case of
photocopying, a licence from Access Copyright (Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency),
One Yonge Street, Suite 1900, Toronto, on m5e 1e5–is an infringement of the copyright law.
National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Hoffmann, Phillip, 1956 –
Nothing so absurd : an invitation to philosophy / Phillip Hoffmann.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn1-55111-408-9
1. Philosophy—Introductions. i. Title.
bd21.h64 2003 100 c2003-904195-6
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To Ingrid, in fulfillment of a promise made long ago,
and to the memory of Albert Polsky (1925–2001).
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chapter 1
Contents
Acknowledgements / ix
Preface / xi
Introduction: What is Philosophy? / 1
chapter 1: Metaphysics: The Nature of Existence / 17
chapter 2: Logic: Language, Reason, and Truth / 44
chapter 3: Epistemology: Knowledge and Doubt / 69
chapter 4: Ethics: Values and Virtues / 98
chapter 5: Science: Space, Time, Change, and the Infinite / 125
chapter 6: Religion: God, Evil, and the Meanings of Life / 150
chapter 7: Some Metaphysical Musings / 176
Further Reading / 188
Index / 192
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chapter 1
Acknowledgements
I have accrued debts to a number of individuals and organizations
in the course of writing this book. Foremost among these are the
Philosophy Department and Faculty of Continuing Education at
the University of Calgary for having given me abundant opportu-
nities to learn and teach philosophy. In particular, I wish to thank
Professors C.B. Martin, John Heintz, Jack MacIntosh, and David
Sharp (University of Alberta) for years of counsel, scholarly assis-
tance and encouragement. Without the support and confidence of
Janet Sisson and Don LePan, I might never have completed this
project. Thanks to DeVry Institute of Technology, Calgary, for a
sabbatical in the summer of 2000, during which I completed two
chapters of the book. Colleagues and students of mine at DeVry
have enriched and furthered my teaching career in ways too
numerous to detail. I owe special thanks to Maria Neuwirth,
Graham Bolton, Allan Brown, and Stephanie Davis for reading
various draft chapters and excerpts, and for providing me with
valuable feedback and insights. Like all teachers, I learn from my
students, and am grateful to them for what they have taught me
about pedagogy and philosophy. I especially want to thank Louise
Feroze, Jacquie Jacobi, Peter Pavey, Andre Lanz and Brendan
O’Connor for the friendships that grew out of their participation
in one of my courses. I owe the idea of the multiple meanings of
life in § 6.7to discussions with Ivan Zendel. Special thanks go to
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Nothing So Absurd
Jude Polsky for her love, support, guidance, generosity, and superb
editorial assistance. The duck-rabbit image in Figure 1comes cour-
tesy of <www.alphalink.com.au/~park/images/image8.htm>.
Finally, I want to thank three anonymous reviewers for Broadview
Press and John Burbidge, whose valuable criticisms of earlier drafts
made for a better book than I could otherwise have written.
Whatever shortcomings remain redound to me alone.
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