Since its founding in 1950, the Metaphysical Society of America has remained a pluralistic community dedicated to rigorous philosophical inquiry into the most basic metaphysical questions. At each year’s conference, the presidential address offers original insights into metaphysical questions. Both the insights and the questions are as perennial as they are relevant to contemporary philosophers.
This volume collects eighteen of the finest representatives from those presidential addresses, including contributions from George Allan, Richard Bernstein, Norris Clarke, Vincent Colapietro, Frederick Ferré, Jorge J. E. Gracia, Joseph Grange, Marjorie Grene, George Klubertanz, Ivor Leclerc, Ralph McInerny, Ernan McMullin, Joseph Owens, John Herman Randall, Jr., Nicholas Rescher, Stanley Rosen, John E. Smith, and Robert Sokolowski. Also included are Paul Weiss’s inaugural address to the Society, an introduction chronicling the history of the Society, and an original Foreword by William Desmond and Epilogue by Robert Neville.
List of Figures
Richard T. Hull:
Editorial Foreword William Desmond:
Guest Foreword: Being in America: On Metaphysics and the Metaphysical Society of America Acknowledgments Brian G. Henning and David Kovacs:
Introduction Part One: The Question of Metaphysics Paul Weiss:
The Four-fold Art of Avoiding Questions George Klubertanz:
The Problem of the Analogy of Being W. Norris Clarke:
The Self as Source of Meaning in Metaphysics Joseph Owens:
Reality and Metaphysics Marjorie Grene:
Merleau-Ponty and the Renewal of Ontology Richard J. Bernstein:
Metaphysics, Critique, and Utopia Robert Sokolowski:
The Question of Being Stanley Rosen:
Is Metaphysics Possible? Ralph McInerny:
The Science We are Seeking Frederick Ferré:
The Practicality of Metaphysics Part Two: The Question of Knowledge Ernan McMullin:
Two faces of Science Jorge J. E. Gracia:
Are Categories Invented or Discovered? A Response to Foucault Nicholas Rescher:
Textuality, Reality, and the Limits of Knowledge Part Three: The Question of Language John Herman Randall, Jr.:
Metaphysics and Language John E. Smith:
Being, Immediacy and Articulation Vincent Colapietro:
Striving to Speak in a Human Voice: A Peircean Contribution to Metaphysical Discourse Part Four: The Question of the Good Ivor Leclerc:
The Metaphysics of the Good George Allan:
Perishable Goods Joseph Grange:
The Generosity of the Good Robert C. Neville:
The Legacy and Future Appendix A:
Bibliography of Presidential Addresses of the Metaphysical Society of America 1952–2010 Index