David J. Chalmers constructs a highly ambitious and original picture of the world, from a few basic elements. He develops and extends Rudolf Carnap's attempt to do the same in Der Logische Aufbau Der Welt (1928). Carnap gave a blueprint for describing the entire world using a limited vocabulary, so that all truths about the world could be derived from that description--but his Aufbau is often seen as a noble failure. In Constructing the World, Chalmers argues that something like the Aufbau project can succeed. With the ...
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David J. Chalmers constructs a highly ambitious and original picture of the world, from a few basic elements. He develops and extends Rudolf Carnap's attempt to do the same in Der Logische Aufbau Der Welt (1928). Carnap gave a blueprint for describing the entire world using a limited vocabulary, so that all truths about the world could be derived from that description--but his Aufbau is often seen as a noble failure. In Constructing the World, Chalmers argues that something like the Aufbau project can succeed. With the right vocabulary and the right derivation relation, we can indeed construct the world. The focal point of Chalmers's project is scrutability: roughly, the thesis that ideal reasoning from a limited class of basic truths yields all truths about the world. Chalmers first argues for the scrutability thesis and then considers how small the base can be. All this can be seen as a project in metaphysical epistemology: epistemology in service of a global picture of the world and of our conception thereof. The scrutability framework has ramifications throughout philosophy. Using it, Chalmers defends a broadly Fregean approach to meaning, argues for an internalist approach to the contents of thought, and rebuts W. V. Quine's arguments against the analytic and the a priori. He also uses scrutability to analyze the unity of science, to defend a conceptual approach to metaphysics, and to mount a structuralist response to skepticism. Based on Chalmers's 2010 John Locke lectures, Constructing the World opens up debate on central areas of philosophy including philosophy of language, consciousness, knowledge, and reality. This major work by a leading philosopher will appeal to philosophers in all areas.
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Add this copy of Constructing the World to cart. $18.06, good condition, Sold by HPB-Red rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Oxford University Press, Usa.
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Add this copy of Constructing the World to cart. $18.06, fair condition, Sold by Bookmans rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tucson, AZ, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Oxford University Press, Usa.
Add this copy of Constructing the World to cart. $21.93, good condition, Sold by HPB-Red rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Oxford University Press.
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Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Constructing the World to cart. $30.20, like new condition, Sold by Warriors SG rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Somerset, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Oxford University Press.
Add this copy of Constructing the World to cart. $36.21, good condition, Sold by Pieuler LLC rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from IPSWICH, SUFFOLK, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2014 by Oxford University Press.
Add this copy of Constructing the World to cart. $36.73, new condition, Sold by Pieuler LLC rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from IPSWICH, SUFFOLK, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2014 by Oxford University Press.
Add this copy of Constructing the World to cart. $38.08, new condition, Sold by Prior Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Cheltenham, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2014 by Oxford University Press.
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New. Size: 6x1x9; Glossy stiff card covers; firm and square, sharp corners. Contents fresh and crisp; no pen-marks and not from a library so no such stamps or labels. Thus a new copy in great shape, looks and feels unread.
