What's the Use of Philosophy?

With an inimitable combination of sharpness, generosity, elegance and wit, Kitcher diagnoses the malaise that many philosophers have long felt about our profession but have been unable to articulate with such breadth and clarity. Perhaps no one has the skills or the standing that Kitcher possesses to do so ... The book pulls no punches in showing how far contemporary philosophy has diverged from its original goals ... Yet Kitcher does not merely lament the ways in which philosophy has abandoned its traditional roles. With characteristic and sympathetic understanding, Kitcher provides a genealogy which shows how so many of philosophy's virtues have turned into flaws ... This will be read by every disaffected philosopher, and may convince many outside it to take the promise of philosophy seriously again. An extraordinary and much-needed book. * Susan Neiman, Einstein Forum, Germany *
A spirited love letter to a discipline that enthralls and disappoints in equal measure. Rather than give way to gloom, Philip Kitcher asks us to dream of a philosophy that demands and does more. * Amia Srinivasan, All Souls College, Oxford *
This book is challenging in the best sense: indeed, what use is philosophy? But it is also straightforward and charming - and exceedingly persuasive. * Nancy Cartwright, Durham University *
Philip Kitcher's new book is a perceptive and uncompromising assessment of trends and fashions and parochialism in contemporary professional philosophy. The antithesis of parochialism is cosmopolitanism and Kitcher is a true cosmopolitan. * Clark Glymour *
Urging his fellow philosophers to lift their gaze from narrow technical problems toward issues that really matter, Philip Kitcher's concise, lively book is as exciting as it is important. * Michael Ruse, Florida State University (Emeritus) *
Philip Kitcher makes a compelling case for a redirection of philosophy away from what are sometimes called "core areas" and toward issues that are of more interest and value within our general intellectual culture - issues often relegated to the periphery of our discipline. These include, among others, philosophy of the various empirical sciences, moral and political philosophy done in a way that is practically useful, and philosophical engagement with the arts. This book is must reading for anyone alarmed about the future of philosophy and its current tendencies toward scholasticism and irrelevance. A brave and important book. * James Woodward, University of Pittsburgh *
In this excellent book...Kitcher has useful things to say how philosophy and science can work together. * Quassim Cassam, The Society *