Pretty easy-to-read set of descriptions of various philosophical ideas and techniques. A lot of it was familiar, but the explanations were pretty good. Maybe it felt a bit too easy, but perhaps that's just in comparison to Rawls. I think it'll serve as a handy reference; here are some things I marked when reading it

• cataleptic impressions are "certain impressions of the world and morality that we simply cannot doubt" [p31]
• abduction is "argument to the best explanation" [p39]
• good discussion of dialectic in section 2.3
• ceteris paribus (all things being equal) [p74]
• discussion of analytic/synthetic in section 4.3
• defeasible/infeasible distinction (Quine argues "1+1=2" is defeasible) [p146]
• lots of varieties of realism [p164]
• type/token identity [p172]
• Class critique - Marx says that prevailing philosophical views are shaped by interests of ruling class [p174]. Similar theme with Foucaultian critique [p182]

Completed : 03-Jan-2005