Philosophical Papers: Volume 2, Philosophy and the Human Sciences

by Charles Margrave Taylor

Charles Taylor has been one of the most original and influential figures in contemporary his 'philosophical anthropology' spans an unusually wide range of theoretical interests and draws creatively on both Anglo-American and Continental traditions in philosophy. A selection of his published papers is presented here in two volumes, structured to indicate the direction and essential unity of the work. He starts from a polemical concern with behaviourism and other reductionist theories (particularly in psychology and the philosophy of language) which aim to model the study of man on the natural sciences. This leads to a general critique of naturalism, its historical development and its importance for modern culture and consciousness; and that in turn points, forward to a positive account of human agency and the self, the constitutive role of language and value, and the scope of practical reason. The volumes jointly present some two decades of work on these fundamental themes, and convey strongly the tenacity, verve and versatility of the author in grappling with them. They will interest a very wide range of philosophers and students of the human sciences.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 1985

About the author

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Other authors with this name:

Charles Taylor
Charles Taylor, Journalist, Film critic

Charles Margrave Taylor CC GOQ FBA FRSC is a Canadian philosopher, and professor emeritus at McGill University. He is best known for his contributions to political philosophy, the philosophy of social science, history of philosophy and intellectual history. This work has earned him the prestigious Kyoto Prize, the Templeton Prize, the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy, and the John W. Kluge Prize, in addition to widespread esteem among philosophers. (Source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Andrew Noselli · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a slow start, I found it strangely congruent with my studies of Kant's deontology the very same evening as I finished the final essay in Taylor's somewhat anachronistic collection of essays.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was first introduced to this collection in second year undergrad. It blew me away. I hadn't yet read philosophy with this many layers to keep up with, and it took a while for me to get my brain into that sort of shape. But Taylor's creativity and vision with respect to the constitution of the self (we are language "all the way down") are so eloquent once unpacked. The second volume is no less valuable.

[Brent Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection and works well as an introduction to Taylor's philosophy.