Contemporary Philosophy Prelude
In the 1950s, academic philosophy throughout the Western world was preoccupied by several philosophical trends and schools, which were, more or less, clearly demarcated. At its height, existentialism was as much a popular mainstream trend and literary phenomenon as it was a philosophical movement. At its height, existentialism was as much a popular mainstream trend and literary phenomenon as it was a philosophical movement.
In Europe excluding Britain, process philosophy, existentialism and existential phenomenology were leading philosophical movements. In English-speaking countries, academic analytic philosophy was pre-occupied with the later writings of Ludwig Wittgenstein and ordinary language. In Canada and the United States, pragmatism as practised by John Dewey also shared the philosophical scene with ordinary language. Philosophy in the Soviet Union was mostly nihilist, Marxist and neo-Marxist, such as Marxism-Leninism and Stalinism.
The 1960s and 1970s overturned the dominance of the aforementioned schools. The revival of the writings of Ferdinand de Saussure produced structuralism and its associated critics (poststructuralism, deconstruction), which occupies European philosophy today. Ordinary language philosophy declined in popularity in the 1970s, giving rise to an emphasis on the philosophy of mind and philosophy of language. Other analytic philosophers, such as Richard Rorty, even called for a major overhaul of the analytic philosophic. The decline and subsequent fall of the Soviet Union also reduced the influence of Marxism in Soviet philosophy.
Contemporary Philosophy exclude two part :
Ethics
The first half of the twentieth century was marked by the widespread neglect of ethical philosophy and the popularity of skeptical attitudes towards value (e.g. emotivism). During this time, utilitarianism was the only non-skeptical approach to ethics to remain popular. However, as the influence of logical positivism began to wane mid-century, contemporary analytic philosophers began to have a renewed interest in ethics. G.E.M. Anscombe’s 1958 Modern Moral Philosophy sparked a revival of Aristotle's virtue ethical approach and John Rawls’s 1971 A Theory of Justice restored interest in Kantian ethical philosophy. At present, contemporary ethical philosophy is dominated by three schools: utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and Kantianism.
Another major development in the latter half of the twentieth century (c. 1970), has been contemporary ethical philosophy's overwhelming concern with practical applications, especially in relation to environmental issues, animal rights and the many challenges thrown up by advancing medical science.
Metaphysics
Metaphysics remains a fertile area for research, having recovered from the attacks of A.J. Ayer and the logical positivists. And though many were inherited from previous decades, the debate remains fierce. The philosophy of fiction, the problem of empty names, and the debate over existence's status as a property have all risen out of relative obscurity to become central concerns, while perennial issues such as free will, possible worlds, and the philosophy of time have had new life breathed into them.
Science has also played an increasingly significant role in metaphysics. The theory of special relativity has had a profound effect on the philosophy of time, and quantum physics is routinely discussed in the free will debate. The weight given to scientific evidence is largely due to widespread commitments among philosophers to scientific realism and naturalism.
In the 1950s, academic philosophy throughout the Western world was preoccupied by several philosophical trends and schools, which were, more or less, clearly demarcated. At its height, existentialism was as much a popular mainstream trend and literary phenomenon as it was a philosophical movement. At its height, existentialism was as much a popular mainstream trend and literary phenomenon as it was a philosophical movement.
In Europe excluding Britain, process philosophy, existentialism and existential phenomenology were leading philosophical movements. In English-speaking countries, academic analytic philosophy was pre-occupied with the later writings of Ludwig Wittgenstein and ordinary language. In Canada and the United States, pragmatism as practised by John Dewey also shared the philosophical scene with ordinary language. Philosophy in the Soviet Union was mostly nihilist, Marxist and neo-Marxist, such as Marxism-Leninism and Stalinism.
The 1960s and 1970s overturned the dominance of the aforementioned schools. The revival of the writings of Ferdinand de Saussure produced structuralism and its associated critics (poststructuralism, deconstruction), which occupies European philosophy today. Ordinary language philosophy declined in popularity in the 1970s, giving rise to an emphasis on the philosophy of mind and philosophy of language. Other analytic philosophers, such as Richard Rorty, even called for a major overhaul of the analytic philosophic. The decline and subsequent fall of the Soviet Union also reduced the influence of Marxism in Soviet philosophy.
Contemporary Philosophy exclude two part :
Ethics
The first half of the twentieth century was marked by the widespread neglect of ethical philosophy and the popularity of skeptical attitudes towards value (e.g. emotivism). During this time, utilitarianism was the only non-skeptical approach to ethics to remain popular. However, as the influence of logical positivism began to wane mid-century, contemporary analytic philosophers began to have a renewed interest in ethics. G.E.M. Anscombe’s 1958 Modern Moral Philosophy sparked a revival of Aristotle's virtue ethical approach and John Rawls’s 1971 A Theory of Justice restored interest in Kantian ethical philosophy. At present, contemporary ethical philosophy is dominated by three schools: utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and Kantianism.
Another major development in the latter half of the twentieth century (c. 1970), has been contemporary ethical philosophy's overwhelming concern with practical applications, especially in relation to environmental issues, animal rights and the many challenges thrown up by advancing medical science.
Metaphysics
Metaphysics remains a fertile area for research, having recovered from the attacks of A.J. Ayer and the logical positivists. And though many were inherited from previous decades, the debate remains fierce. The philosophy of fiction, the problem of empty names, and the debate over existence's status as a property have all risen out of relative obscurity to become central concerns, while perennial issues such as free will, possible worlds, and the philosophy of time have had new life breathed into them.
Science has also played an increasingly significant role in metaphysics. The theory of special relativity has had a profound effect on the philosophy of time, and quantum physics is routinely discussed in the free will debate. The weight given to scientific evidence is largely due to widespread commitments among philosophers to scientific realism and naturalism.
