12 Modern Philosophers

12 Modern Philosophers explores the ideas of twelve of the most influential contemporary thinkers tackling the fundamental concerns of philosophy. Each major figure from Quine, Rawls, Parfit, and Rorty to Singer, Fodor, and Nagel is examined by a specialist in the field offering an overview of their key ideas, works, and influences.

12 Modern Philosophers explores the ideas of twelve of the most influential contemporary thinkers tackling the fundamental concerns of philosophy, from logic and metaphysics to ethics and political philosophy. Each major figure is examined by a specialist in the field, offering an accessible overview of their key ideas, works, and influences. What emerges is a rich and illuminating portrait of the current state of academic philosophy in the broadly Anglo-American, or “analytic,” tradition.

With a careful and critical assessment of modern philosophers’ ideas about truth, morality, logic, and meaning, we see how contemporary philosophical thought has drawn from, and contributes to, the broader intellectual and cultural milieu. Stimulating and challenging, 12 Modern Philosophers is an important and timely guide to some of the most influential thinkers of the late twentieth century.

Featuring essays from leading philosophical scholars, 12 Modern Philosophers explores the works, origins, and influences of twelve of the most important late 20th Century philosophers working in the analytic tradition.

• Draws on essays from well-known scholars, including Thomas Baldwin, Catherine Wilson, Adrian Moore and Lori Gruen
• Locates the authors and their oeuvre within the context of the discipline as a whole
• Considers how contemporary philosophy both draws from, and contributes to, the broader intellectual and cultural milieu