000			02525 a2200253 4500
005			20251208131143.0
008			210702b ||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
020			_a9780198810001
082			_a101 _bWIL
100			_aWilliamson, Timothy
245			_aPhilosophical method: a very short introduction
260			_aOxford: _bOxford University Press, _c2020.
300			_a142 p. : ill. ; _bpb, _c18 cm.
365			_aINR _b299.00
440			_aVery Short Introductions
504			_a"First published in hardback as "Doing Philosophy" in 2018"--Title page verso. Includes bibliographical references and index.
520			_aWhat are philosophers trying to achieve? How can they succeed? Does philosophy make progress? Is it in competition with science, or doing something completely different, or neither? Timothy Williamson tackles some of the key questions surrounding philosophy in new and provocative ways, showing how philosophy begins in common sense curiosity, and develops through our capacity to dispute rationally with each other. Discussing philosophy's ability to clarify our thoughts, he explains why such clarification depends on the development of philosophical theories, and how those theories can be tested by imaginative thought experiments, and compared against each other by standards similar to those used in the natural and social sciences. He also shows how logical rigour can be understood as a way of enhancing the explanatory power of philosophical theories. Drawing on the history of philosophy to provide a track record of philosophical thinking's successes and failures, Williams overturns widely held dogmas about the distinctive nature of philosophy in comparison to the sciences, demystifies its methods, and considers the future of the discipline. From thought experiments, to deduction, to theories, this Very Short Introduction will cause you to totally rethink what philosophy is. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. Previously published in hardback as Doing Philosophy
650			_aCommon sense
650			_aPhilosophers
650			_aPhilosophical Theories
650			_aSocial Sciences
650			_aDoing Philosophy
942			_2ddc _cTD
999			_c54881 _d54881