What do you think?
Rate this book
American Philosophy
Philosophy Americana: Making Philosophy at Home in American Culture
In this engaging book, Douglas Anderson begins with the assumption that philosophy―the Greek love of wisdom―is alive and well in American culture. At the same time, professional philosophy remains relatively invisible.
Anderson traverses American life to find places in the wider culture where professional philosophy in the distinctively American tradition can strike up a conversation. How might American philosophers talk to us about our religious experience, or political engagement, or literature―or even, popular music?
Anderson’s second aim is to find places where philosophy happens in nonprofessional guises―cultural places such as country music, rock’n roll, and Beat literature. He not only enlarges the tradition of American philosophers such as John Dewey and William James by examining lesser-known figures such as Henry Bugbee and Thomas Davidson, but finds the theme and ideas of American philosophy in some unexpected places, such as the music of Hank Williams, Tammy Wynette, and Bruce Springsteen, and the writings
of Jack Kerouac.
The idea of “philosophy Americana” trades on the emergent genre of “music Americana,” rooted in traditional themes and styles yet engaging our present experiences. The music is “popular” but not thoroughly driven by economic considerations, and Anderson seeks out an analogous role for philosophical practice, where philosophy and popular culture are co-adventurers in the life of ideas. Philosophy Americana takes seriously Emerson’s quest for the extraordinary in the ordinary and James’s belief that popular philosophy can still be philosophy.
Philosophy Making Philosophy at Home in American Culture is available from the publisher on an open-access basis.
Anderson traverses American life to find places in the wider culture where professional philosophy in the distinctively American tradition can strike up a conversation. How might American philosophers talk to us about our religious experience, or political engagement, or literature―or even, popular music?
Anderson’s second aim is to find places where philosophy happens in nonprofessional guises―cultural places such as country music, rock’n roll, and Beat literature. He not only enlarges the tradition of American philosophers such as John Dewey and William James by examining lesser-known figures such as Henry Bugbee and Thomas Davidson, but finds the theme and ideas of American philosophy in some unexpected places, such as the music of Hank Williams, Tammy Wynette, and Bruce Springsteen, and the writings
of Jack Kerouac.
The idea of “philosophy Americana” trades on the emergent genre of “music Americana,” rooted in traditional themes and styles yet engaging our present experiences. The music is “popular” but not thoroughly driven by economic considerations, and Anderson seeks out an analogous role for philosophical practice, where philosophy and popular culture are co-adventurers in the life of ideas. Philosophy Americana takes seriously Emerson’s quest for the extraordinary in the ordinary and James’s belief that popular philosophy can still be philosophy.
Philosophy Making Philosophy at Home in American Culture is available from the publisher on an open-access basis.
- GenresPhilosophy
308 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2006
18 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Douglas R. Anderson
20 books1 followerLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
Other authors publishing under this name are:
Douglas R. Anderson, Ophthalmologist
Other authors publishing under this name are:
Douglas R. Anderson, Ophthalmologist
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 22, 2018
This is a thoughtful exploration of the experiential and experimental bent of the American philosophical tradition through music, literature and popular culture. Personal experience and philosophical reflection illuminate each other throughout the essays.
April 30, 2022
American philosopher
Well, the author argue that American was very little in acknowledging philosophy. American philosopher thus usually a teacher, and their philosophy works was in the form of lecture and lecture book. Thus it posed some difficulty to analyzed and record it.
Well, the author argue that American was very little in acknowledging philosophy. American philosopher thus usually a teacher, and their philosophy works was in the form of lecture and lecture book. Thus it posed some difficulty to analyzed and record it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews