Analysis and Metaphysics: An Introduction to Philosophy

Description

Sir Peter Strawson was one of the finest analytic philosophers of the twentieth century, and his "Analysis and Metaphyics: An Intoduction to Philosophy" is something of a summation of his extraordinary contribution during his illustrious career. In his preface, Strawson states that this book is a general overview of philosophy as he understands it. He covers metaphysics, epistemology and philosophy of language, and draws insightful connections between these subjects. While he admits that this book is not elementary, he also insists that it does not presuppose any previous acquaintance with philosophy. However, I think that only the smartest upper-level undergraduates in philosophy will begin to understand it. In my opinion, this book is too idiosyncratic and too difficult as an introduction to philosophy. The price (over $43, at the time of writing this review) is also very high for such a slim book. Therefore, I do not recommend this book as an introduction to philosophy for those who have had no exposure to the subject. However, I think that some students who are interested in an overview of philosophy from an important perspective will gain very much from it.