This book is based on an in-depth conversation between Howard Burton and Scott Soames, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at University of Southern California. Scott Soames is specialized in the philosophy of language and the history of analytic philosophy. This detailed conversation provides a detailed introduction to analytic philosophy, including some examples of contemporary relevance to a wide range of other fields.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Utility of Philosophy, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
- An Analytical Introduction - From sociological musings to Gottlob Frege
- Investigating Logic - The benefits of rigorous inquiry
- Language and Meaning - Minds as gateways to information
- Legal Applications - Some concrete examples
- Changing the Culture - Philosophy everywhere
- Godelian Challenges - Making sense of the incompleteness theorems
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series (100 books):
Presented in an accessible, conversational format, Ideas Roadshow books not only explore frontline academic research featuring world-leading researchers, including 3 Nobel Laureates, but also reveal the inspirations and personal journeys behind the research. Howard Burton holds a PhD in physics and an MA in philosophy, and was the Founding Director of Canada's Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.
