Alan Malachowski

Richard Rorty is notorious for contending that the traditional, foundation-building and truth-seeking ambitions of systematic philosophy should be set aside in favour of a more pragmatic, conversational, hermeneutically guided project. This challenge has not only struck at the heart of philosophy but has ricocheted across other disciplines, both contesting their received self-images and opening up new avenues of inquiry in the process. Alan Malachowski provides an authoritative overview of Rorty's considerable body of work and a general assessment of his impact both within philosophy and in the humanities more broadly. He begins by explaining the genesis of Rorty's central ideas, tracking their development from suggestions in his early papers through their crystallization in his groundbreaking book, "Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature". Malachowski evaluates some of the common criticisms of Rorty's position and his ensuing pragmatism. The book examines the subsequent evolution of his ideas, focusing particularly on the main themes of his second major work, Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity. The political and cultural impact of Rorty's writings on such diverse fields as feminism, cultural and literary theory, and international relations are also considered, and the author explores why Rorty's work has generally found its warmest reception in these areas rather than among mainstream philosophers.

The dramatic resurgence of American Pragmatism was one of the most important intellectual developments in the Twentieth Century. As the influence of this revitalised movement continues to spread across a variety of disciplines ranging from law to literary theory, the time is ripe for a considered reassessment of both its origins in the works of Charles Peirce, William James and John Dewey and its later revival in the hands of thinkers such as Richard Rorty and Hilary Putnam. This three-volume collection gathers together the necessary material for just such an 'assessment'. As such, it will an invaluable research tool for scholars and students who need to understand the significance of Pragmatism's unique place in the history of ideas. Alan Malachowski is an Honorary Lecturer in Philosophy at the Department of Philosophy, University of East Anglia.