
In this controversial volume (originally published in 1975) Peter Unger suggests that, not only can nothing ever be known, but no one can ever have a reason at all for anything. A consequence of this is that we cannot have any realistic emotional ties: it can never be conclusively said that someone is happy or sad about anything. Finally he argues that no one can ever say, let alone believe, that anything is the case. In order to get beyond this apparent bind - and this condition of ignorance - Unger proposes a radical departure from the linguistic and epistemological systems we have become accustomed to. Epistemologists, as well as philosophers of mind and language will undoubtedly find in this study of the limitations of language an invaluable philosophical perspective.
This work investigates the radical proposition that human knowledge is impossible and that individuals lack rational grounds for any belief or emotional state. Peter Unger, a prominent philosopher, utilizes a rigorous analytical framework to challenge the foundations of epistemology and linguistic theory. By deconstructing the conditions required for knowledge and belief, he argues that the standard systems of logic and language fail to support the existence of certainty, ultimately proposing a departure from traditional philosophical paradigms.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Philosophers and academics frequently cite this text as a provocative and challenging contribution to the study of skepticism. Readers often note the extreme density of the prose and the uncompromising nature of the author's logical conclusions.
Page Count:
335
Publication Date:
1975-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0192509888
ISBN-13:
9780192509888
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!