The Uses of the Past from Heidegger to Rorty: Doing Philosophy Historically

235 Pages·2009·1.01 MB·English

by  Robert Piercey

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THE USES OF THE PAST FROM
HEIDEGGER TO RORTY
Doing Philosophy Historically
InthisbookRobertPierceyaskshowitispossible todophilosophy
bystudyingthethinkersofthepast.Hedevelopshisanswerthrough
readingsofMartinHeidegger,RichardRorty,PaulRicoeur,Alasdair
MacIntyre, and other historically minded philosophers. Piercey
shows that what is distinctive about these figures is a concern with
philosophical pictures – extremely general conceptions of what the
world is like – rather than specific theories. He offers a comprehen-
siveand illuminatingexploration ofthewayinwhichthesethinkers
use narrative to evaluate and criticize these pictures. The result is a
powerfuland original accountof howphilosophers use the past.
robertpierceyisanAssociateProfessorofPhilosophyatCampion
College,UniversityofRegina.

THE USES OF THE PAST FROM
HEIDEGGER TO RORTY
Doing Philosophy Historically
ROBERT PIERCEY
CampionCollege,UniversityofRegina
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo
Cambridge University Press
The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK
Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521517539
© Robert Piercey 2009
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the
provision of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part
may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published in print format 2009
ISBN-13 978-0-511-50851-6 eBook (NetLibrary)
ISBN-13 978-0-521-51753-9 hardback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy
of urls for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication,
and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate.
For Anna, of course

Contents
Acknowledgments pageix
Listofabbreviations x
Introduction:Theusesofthepast 1
2
Thehistoryofalabel
5
Theplanofthebook
1 Doingphilosophyhistorically 9
9
Currentviews
15
Randallandthegeneticmethod
19
Theevolutionofphilosophicalpictures
25
Moreonpictures
2 Theroleofnarrative 31
Rorty,narrative,and“seeingas” 31
42
Argument
47
Rationality
53
Truth
3 Defendingthehistoricalthesis 58
The“historicalthesisaboutphilosophy” 59
65
Thehistoricalthesisreconsidered
73
Adifferentstrategy
78
Asimpletaxonomy
4 Thecriticalapproach:MacIntyre 82
HistoryinMacIntyre’searlywork 82
Criticismasrepudiation:AfterVirtue 87
Searchforamethod:WhoseJustice?WhichRationality? 97
Criticismasvindication:ThreeRivalVersionsofMoralEnquiry 115
124
Thebiggerpicture
vii
viii Contents
5 Thediagnosticapproach:Heidegger 127
Heidegger’sprojectandtheforgetfulnessofbeing 130
ForgetfulnessasPlatonism:TheEssenceofTruth 138
148
Forgetfulnessasmetaphysics:TheNietzschelectures
Forgetfulnessasonto-theology:IdentityandDifference 154
160
Thebiggerpicture
6 Thesyntheticapproach:Ricoeur 164
What’sinaname? 165
174
Self
180
World
192
God
202
Thebiggerpicture
Consequences 206
References 212
Index 219