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The Poverty of Anti-realism : Critical Perspectives on Postmodernist Philosophy of History
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Due to the influence of postmodernism, historical anti-realism has come to exercise a massive influence in contemporary philosophy of history. Edited by Tor Egil Førland and Branko Mitrović, The Povery of Anti-realism: Critical Perspectives on Postmodernist Philosophy of History presents perspectives that oppose anti-realist understanding of historians'work. The first part of the book gives an overview of contemporary anti-realist philosophy of history and shows that its claims are either so wide-ranging that they apply to all scientific knowledge, or pertain only to a select part of historians'work. In the second part, the authors criticize major anti-realist tenets. These include: the assertion that the colligatory concepts historians use are without reference in the past; the idea that historical facts are theory-dependent and therefore unable to upend prevailing theories; Paul Roth's application of Nelson Goodman's “irrealist” theory of worldmaking to suggest a plurality of pasts; and the belief that multiple describability prevents historians from providing true and testable accounts of the past. The third and final part shows that the political implications of anti-realism are often other than left-leaning anti-realists think. Their reactions when confronted with the consequences of their theories indicate the inconsistency and untenability of postmodernist philosophy of history.
- Subjects :
- Historiography
History--Philosophy
Anti-realism
Postmodernism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISBNs :
- 9781666933628 and 9781666933635
- Database :
- eBook Index
- Journal :
- The Poverty of Anti-realism : Critical Perspectives on Postmodernist Philosophy of History
- Publication Type :
- eBook
- Accession number :
- 3681028