Discover the Philosophers of Today

By Phin Upham
What are the great minds of today thinking about? Sure, you can read their books and listen to their lectures. Or, you can talk to them. That’s the idea behind a collection of interviews I edited called “Philosophers in Conversation: Interviews from the Harvard Review of Philosophy.” Published in 2002, this one-of-a-kind collection features thirteen interviews with some of the most prominent philosophers of today, including W.V.O. Quine, Richard Rorty, Stanley Cavell, and Hilary Putnam. It also includes a rare conversation with leading contemporary philosopher John Rawls, who is no longer with us.

While most people have access to their books and papers, rather less is known about the personal lives of these contemporary philosophers. However, these interviews provide a glimpse of who they are and reveal their intimate thoughts on contemporary issues. The subject of each interview varies, making the collection interesting from beginning to end. Hilary Putnam talks about mind, meaning, and reality, while Harvey C. Mansfield discusses the philosophy of politics. Peter Unger talks about science and the possibility of philosophy and Richard Rorty tackles a post-metaphysical culture. With photographs of each philosopher and a short bio, the book is satisfying to both the specialist and the layman interested in philosophy.

This book is available on eBay.

For more info, you may contact me at Phin Upham Linkedin page.