Academic philosophy has become so technical and inbred that it often fails to connect with the questions and concerns of educated nonspecialists. Martin Benjamin aims to bridge this gap. Presupposing little or no formal background,Philosophy & This Actual World addresses general questions of knowledge, reality, mind, will, and ethics, as well as more specific questions about moral pluralism, assisted suicide, the nature of death, and life's meaning. At the same time, it incorporates the advances of academic philosophers like Wittgenstein, Rorty, Putnam, and Rawls, making it equally as valuable to the scholar as to the philosophically uninitiated.
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Review
An impressive coverage of philosophical issues relevant to almost anyone. Using insights from classical pragmatists, such as William James, and also from contemporary pragmatists, especially Richard Rorty, this text is an accessible entryway to some perennial philosophical questions and answers. Students or academics wondering how pragmatism is practical must read this lively and provocative book. General readers will also profit from its wisdom. Perhaps its greatest usefulness will be in the classroom, where its unimposing size, clear writing, and good bibliographies will serve introductory courses at universities or community colleges. Highly recommended. (Choice )
Martin Benjamin's Philosophy & this Actual World is a brilliant book and a joy to read. Benjamin has surpassed all of those who have attempted to reconcile the 19th century American philosophical tradition with contemporary analytic philosophy. Benjamin's book can sit alongside Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics on the shelf of books that makes a stunning advance in reconciling the philosophical, the social, the biological and the political.... (Glenn McGee )
This book is an easy read, not because it is entertaining in a simplistic way, but because it is intellectually engaging on a level that most readers, regardless of the level of their philosophical sophistication, can grasp. The prose is clear and not cluttered with footnotes and attempts to prove its academic merit. (Metapsychology )
Relying on William James and Ludwig Wittgenstein, Benjamin attempts to bring academic philosophy close to the concerns of 'the seriously inquiring amateur.' The result is a thoughtful, readable, interesting book that shows the general reader that what contemporary philosophers do truly matters. (John Lachs )
Like the work of some other philosophers who have appreciated the relevance of pragmatism's insights to 'practical philosophy' (Glenn McGee and Micah Hester, for example), Martin Benjamin's book is an illuminating reflection on the craft of philosophy, both as it has been and as some are hoping it may become. (Medical Humanities Review )
In this instructive and delightful book, Martin Benjamin blends the approaches of Wittgenstein and the American pragmatists in the service of an insightful and wide-ranging survey of important philosophical problems. The result is a gem of a book from which both philosophers and curious non-specialists will surely profit. (John D. Arras )
Martin Benjamin's Philosophy & this Actual World is a brilliant book and a joy to read. Benjamin has surpassed all of those who have attempted to reconcile the 19th century American philosophical tradition with contemporary analytic philosophy. Benjamin's book can sit alongside Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics on the shelf of books that makes a stunning advance in reconciling the philosophical, the social, the biological and the political. (Glenn McGee )
Martin Benjamin's Philosophy & this Actual World is a brilliant book and a joy to read. Benjamin has surpassed all of those who have attempted to reconcile the 19th century American philosophical tradition with contemporary analytic philosophy. Benjamin's book can sit alongside Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics on the shelf of books that makes a stunning advance in reconciling the philosophical, the social, the biological and the political.... (Glenn McGee )
This book is an easy read, not because it is entertaining in a simplistic way, but because it is intellectually engaging on a level that most readers, regardless of the level of their philosophical sophistication, can grasp. The prose is clear and not cluttered with footnotes and attempts to prove its academic merit. (Metapsychology )
Relying on William James and Ludwig Wittgenstein, Benjamin attempts to bring academic philosophy close to the concerns of 'the seriously inquiring amateur.' The result is a thoughtful, readable, interesting book that shows the general reader that what contemporary philosophers do truly matters. (John Lachs )
Like the work of some other philosophers who have appreciated the relevance of pragmatism's insights to 'practical philosophy' (Glenn McGee and Micah Hester, for example), Martin Benjamin's book is an illuminating reflection on the craft of philosophy, both as it has been and as some are hoping it may become. (Medical Humanities Review )
In this instructive and delightful book, Martin Benjamin blends the approaches of Wittgenstein and the American pragmatists in the service of an insightful and wide-ranging survey of important philosophical problems. The result is a gem of a book from which both philosophers and curious non-specialists will surely profit. (John D. Arras )
Martin Benjamin's Philosophy & this Actual World is a brilliant book and a joy to read. Benjamin has surpassed all of those who have attempted to reconcile the 19th century American philosophical tradition with contemporary analytic philosophy. Benjamin's book can sit alongside Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics on the shelf of books that makes a stunning advance in reconciling the philosophical, the social, the biological and the political. (Glenn McGee )
About the Author
Martin Benjamin is professor of philosophy at Michigan State University. Philosophy and This Actual World is his fourth book.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Real World Application of Philosophical Thought,
By
This review is from: Philosophy & This Actual World: An Introduction to Practical Philosophical Inquiry (Paperback)
This book does a great job of using philosophical inquiry to address real world problems. Some of the more interesting concepts debated are: what makes life meaningful, what our ethical bases should be, how and when our moral beliefs should be reflected on and changed, when is a person truly dead, how can we know what reality is, the free will problem, etc. Dr. Benjamin does a great job of using examples and easily understood concepts that make the book accessible to a broad cross section of readers. Yet, he still advances the arguments far enough as to not bore those that are well read. The best chapter is number 8, Meaningful Lives. Here he uses concepts from The Death of Ivan Ilych and The Plague to explain the different ways life can be meaningful. The chapter on Ethics is also very interesting. In this chapter Dr. Benjamin describes the concept of wide reflective equilibrium and how it can be used to examine and change our moral framework. In conclusion, anyone looking for a book that uses sound philosophical debate and reason to address current real world problems should read this book.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Take MY word for it,
By Estep (East Lansing) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Philosophy & This Actual World: An Introduction to Practical Philosophical Inquiry (Paperback)
Benjamin did not mean for this to be a great philosophical text. Instead, Dr. Benjamin wrote the book in order to make a digestible account of philosophy for those who are mainly unfamiliar with its history. He accomplishes this quite well actually, and if anyone were to be a student of his you would understand even more where he was coming from with this book. He may not back up his arguments about Permanent Vegetative State all that well in this book because that requires a completely separate book on its own, but he did what any good philosopher should do: he raised the question. Again, if you were to be a student of his you would understand his views much better, but do not believe what you have read in the other 1-star review. That person obviously had preconceived notions about the world that cannot be changed with any amount of critical thought. I encourage people to welcome this book with an open mind. It is only then that you will understand the meaning of the book and can then apply it to your life if you so desire.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Introduction to Philosophy,
By
This review is from: Philosophy & This Actual World: An Introduction to Practical Philosophical Inquiry (Paperback)
I have been using Martin Benjamin's _Philosophy & This Actual World_ in my introduction to philosophy class for several years now. I use his text in conjunction with several primary sources. Philosophy is often portrayed as a "removed" discipline, removed from the normal everyday concerns of the "common person." Benjamin disagrees with this assessment. Philosophy is both theoretically and practically important. His aim is to have this text reflect that belief. He begins with some classic philosophical issues and then considers the importance they have on our daily lives, employing the tools of the pragmatists and Ludwig Wittgenstein. These issues include: what do we really know; what is reality; what does it mean to have a mind; is there a basis for our morality; what is the best way to live as a community; the subject of life and death; and finally, how are we to make our lives meaningful. Students often comment about the clarity and precision he brings to hard (and sometimes muddled) philosophical arguments. What students often find most helpful is his presentation of the arguments and his systematic examination of when and where these arguments fail. This is an excellent introductory book for anyone interested in philosophy and philosophical issues.
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