John McDowell on Worldly Subjectivity: Oxford Kantianism Meets Phenomenology and Cognitive Sciences

by Tony Cheng

Overview

John McDowell's philosophical ideas are both influential and comprehensive, encompassing philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, epistemology, ethics, metaphysics and the history of philosophy. This book is a much-needed systematic overview of McDowell's thought that offers a clear and accessible route through the main elements of his philosophy.

Arguing that the world and minded human subject are constitutively interdependent, the book examines and critically engages with McDowell's views on naturalism of second nature, the inner space model, intentionality, personhood and practical wisdom. The book presents novel discussions on the debates between McDowell and other key philosophers, including Hubert Dreyfus, Robert Brandom, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Donald Davidson, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Immanuel Kant, amongst others.

Demonstrating a thorough understanding of McDowell's work, Tony Cheng makes connections to both the phenomenological tradition and cognitive sciences to show the wider relevance of McDowell's philosophy. In doing so, he sheds light on how influential McDowell's thought is to the analytic tradition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350126718
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	05/06/2021
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

Tony Cheng is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the National Chengchi University, Taiwan, where he is also Associate Research Fellow of the Research Center for Mind, Brain and Learning, and Director of the Center for Phenomenology. He also established the Taiwan Intercollegiate Consciousness Society.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Oxford Kantianism and Pittsburgh Hegelianism
1. The Many Faces of Human Subject
2. Cogito and Homo sapiens
3. Perceiver and Knower
4. Thinker and Speaker
5. Agent and Person
6. Apperceiver and Homo sentiens
7. Rational Animal and Conceptual Being
Conclusion: Self-Determining Subjectivity
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

"McDowell is one of the most famous and influential philosophers in the world. This book is a concise but clear and comprehensive account of his philosophical system. It is very accurate, conveys the debates about his views, and critically evaluates McDowell and his critics. There is no better place to start studying McDowell." --Paul F Snowdon, Emeritus Grote Professor of Mind and Logic, UCL, U.K.

"This is not just an introduction to the work of one of the leading philosophers of our era but also a contribution to philosophy. Cheng is the ideal guide to his subject: insightful, sympathetic, but not uncritical. Both fans and critics of McDowell will learn from this book." --Quassim Cassam, Professor Philosophy, University of Warwick, UK

From the Publisher