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Philosophy General

Our Fundamental Problem

A Revolutionary Approach to Philosophy

by (author) Nicholas Maxwell

Publisher
McGill-Queen's University Press
Initial publish date
Jun 2020
Category
General
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9780228002871
    Publish Date
    Jun 2020
    List Price
    $23.94

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Description

How can the world we live in and see, touch, hear, and smell, the world of living things, people, consciousness, free will, meaning, and value - how can all of this exist and flourish embedded as it is in the physical universe, made up of nothing but physical entities such as electrons and quarks? How can anything be of value if everything in the universe is, ultimately, just physics? In Our Fundamental Problem Nicholas Maxwell argues that this problem of reconciling the human and physical worlds needs to take centre stage in our thinking, so that our best ideas about it interact with our attempts to solve even more important specialized problems of thought and life. When we explore this fundamental problem, Maxwell argues, revolutionary answers emerge for a wide range of questions arising in philosophy, science, social inquiry, academic inquiry as a whole, and - most important of all - our capacity to solve the global problems that threaten our future: climate change, habitat destruction, extinction of species, inequality, war, pollution of earth, sea, and air. An unorthodox introduction to philosophy, Our Fundamental Problem brings philosophy down to earth and demonstrates its vital importance for science, scholarship, education, life, and the fate of the world.

About the author

Nicholas Maxwell is a philosopher specializing in the idea that academics should promote the acquisition of wisdom and not just knowledge. He taught philosophy of science at University College London for 30 years and founded Friends of Wisdom.

Nicholas Maxwell's profile page

Editorial Reviews

"This book deserves to be studied by anyone seriously interested in making the world a better place." Brian Ellis, La Trobe University