Table of Contents

Introduction Part I. Ethics without Ontology 1. Ethics without Metaphysics 2. A Defense of Conceptual Relativity 3. Objectivity without Objects 4. "Ontology": An Obituary Part II. Enlightenment and Pragmatism 1. The Three Enlightenments 2. Skepticism about Enlightenment Notes Index

Promotional Information

Hilary Putnam is one of the most distinguished living American philosophers, a philosopher whose writings have done much to shape the agenda of analytic philosophy over the last forty years. Much of the interest of this book lies in the way that it illustrates, with unmistakable clarity, how severe a critic of mainstream analytic philosophy Putnam has become. -- Michael Williams, Professor of Philosophy, Johns Hopkins University

About the Author

Hilary Putnam is Cogan University Professor Emeritus at Harvard University.

Reviews

Putnam provokes us in just the way philosophy should… [He] does not offer a fine-tuning of a particular approach to specific theories. He provocatively heralds a new enlightenment in such a way that will doubtless spark criticisms from those who denounce any further enlightenment in favor of skeptical outlooks. Putnam has presented a viable alternative to the two dominant, though well-worn, philosophical movements of our day.
*Journal of Value Inquiry*

Hilary Putnam’s book, Ethics without Ontology, is written with all his usual clarity and verve. It crystallises some familiar themes of his work in very readable form.
*Philosophical Investigations*

Hilary Putnam is one of the most distinguished living American philosophers, a philosopher whose writings have done much to shape the agenda of analytic philosophy over the last forty years. Much of the interest of this book lies in the way that it illustrates, with unmistakable clarity, how severe a critic of mainstream analytic philosophy Putnam has become.
*Michael Williams, Professor of Philosophy, Johns Hopkins University*