Epistemology: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge (Suny Series in Philosophy) [Hardcover]

Nicholas Rescher (Author)

Book Description

Series: Suny Series in Philosophy | Publication Date: August 2003

A comprehensive introduction to the theory of knowledge.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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From the Back Cover

Guided by the founding ideas of American pragmatism, Epistemology provides a clear example of the basic concepts involved in knowledge acquisition and explains the principles at work in the development of rational inquiry. It examines how these principles analyze the course of scientific progress and how the development of scientific inquiry inevitably encounters certain natural disasters. At the center of the book's deliberations there lies not only the potential for scientific progress but also the limit of science as well. This comprehensive introduction to the theory of knowledge addresses a myriad of topics, including the critique of skepticism, the nature of rationality, the possibility of science for extraterrestrial intelligences, and the prospect of insoluble issues in science. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Nicholas Rescher is University Professor of Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh and the author of many books, including Realistic Pragmatism: An Introduction to Pragmatic Philosophy; Predicting the Future: An Introduction to the Theory of Forecasting; Process Metaphysics: An Introduction to Process Philosophy; and Dialectics: A Controversy-Oriented Approach to the Theory of Knowledge; all published by SUNY Press. Among his many achievements, he is former president of the American Philosophical Association and recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Prize for Humanistic Scholarship. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: State Univ of New York Pr (August 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0791458113
• ISBN-13: 978-0791458112
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,839,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent synopsis, May 31, 2011

By 

Bruce Merrill (Cambridge, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Epistemology: An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge (Suny Series in Philosophy) (Paperback)

This 400 page book qualifies as Rescher's most important synoptic effort since the 3 volume summa that he put together for Princeton UP. Those coming to NR for the first time are encouraged to begin here.

Of course, he has written a great deal since 2003 on knowledge (esp. in regard to its deficiencies) so we can hope that he will offer another overview, before he packs it in.

I suspect that his work in the philosophy of knowledge, as found herein, along with his meta-philosophical reflections upon the failure and progress of philosophy itself (e.g. The Strife of Systems), will prove to be his most important philosophy.

The jury is still out, of course!