Richard Rorty

Critical Dialogues

Festenstein, Matthew / Thompson, Simon (Editor)

1. Edition October 2001
256 Pages, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd

ISBN: 978-0-7456-2165-4

John Wiley & Sons

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Richard Rorty is one of the most influential and provocative
figures in contemporary intellectual life. He argues that many of
philosophy's traditional concerns are redundant, and that the goal
of inquiry should not be truth but human betterment. In this
collection a distinguished team of scholars grapples with the
implications of his writings for social and political thought.
Avoiding mindless adulation or ritual denunciation, they offer
careful but critical investigations of the meaning of Rorty's work
for a range of important issues.

Topics explored include anti-foundationalism; irony and
commitment; justice; liberalism and utopianism; reason and
aesthetics; humanism and anti-humanism; the Holocaust; the theory
of international relations; social democracy and the pragmatist
tradition. Each essay is followed by a reply written for this
volume by Rorty. The volume also includes a substantial essay by
Rorty on 'Justice as a Larger Loyalty'.

This volume is indispensable for any reader interested in
Rorty's work, or in contemporary debates in social, political or
ethical theory. Contributors: Molly Cochran; Daniel Conway; Matthew
Festenstein; Norman Geras; John Horton; David Owen; Richard Rorty;
Kate Soper; Simon Thompson.

List of contributors.

Acknowledgements.

1. Richard Rorty: Pragmatism, Irony and Liberalism: Matthew
Festenstein.

2. Irony and Commitment: An Irreconcilable Dualism of Modernity:
John Horton.

Reply to John Horton: Richard Rorty.

3.Richard Rorty on Truth, Justification, and Justice: Simon
Thompson.

Reply to Simon Thompson: Richard Rorty.

4. Irony, State and Utopia: Daniel Conway.

Reply to Daniel Conway: Richard Rorty.

5. The Avoidance of Cruelty: Richard Rorty on Liberalism,
Scepticism and Ironism: David Owen.

Reply to David Owen: Richard Rorty.

6. Richard Rorty: Humanist and/or Anti-Humanist? Kate
Soper.

Reply to Kate Soper: Richard Rorty.

7.Reason and Aesthetics Between Modernity and Postmodernity:
Habermas and Rorty: Richard Shusterman.

Reply to Richard Shusterman: Richard Rorty.

8. Progress Without Foundations? Norman Geras.

Reply to Norman Geras: Richard Rorty.

9. Rorty's Neo-Pragmatism: Some Implications for International
Relations Theory: Molly Cochran.

Reply to Molly Cochran: Richard Rorty.

10. Pragmatism, Social Democracy, and Political Argument:
Matthew Festenstein.

Reply to Matthew Festenstein: Richard Rorty.

11. Justice as a Larger Loyalty: Richard Rorty.

Index

'This volume is a cut above the rest since it finds Rorty's critics and commentators on excellent form and Rorty himself rising to the challenge with far more vigour and passion than he has often been able to muster in recent years. The editors have done a good job in keeping the focus steadily on social, political, and ethico-juridical issues and thereby giving the book a distinctive profile. They have also exercised shrewd judgement in assembling a well-qualified team of contributors whose attitudes range from outspoken opposition, through varying degrees of critical reserve, to qualified endorsement of Rorty's thinking on a number of central issues. This in turn has provoked Rorty to offer a series of thoughtful, extended and sometimes quite combative (even prickly) rejoinders which tell us far more about the scope and limits of his 'North-Atlantic postmodern bourgeois-liberal pragmatist' outlook than previous such encounters. This book should do much to extend and refine the terms of a debate around Rorty's work that has too often become just a pretext for the exchange of routine hostilities.' Christopher Norris, University of Cardiff, Wales

"[The book] is an example of first-rate critisism...This collection serves as a very good introduction to Rorty's work in these areas of philosophy. Further, the dialogical character of this collection makes it valuable for those who seek a refined understanding of Rorty's views." David F. Dudrick, Philosophy in Review

Matthew Festenstein isLecturer in Politics, University of Sheffield and Simon Thompson is Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of the West of England

M. Festenstein, University of Sheffield; S. Thompson, University of the West of England