Wednesday, July 16

Richard Rorty (October 4, 1931 - June 8, 2007)

It recently came to my attention that Richard Rorty, one of the best American philosophers, passed away last June. An advocate of pragmatism, Rorty is one of a handful of contemporary philosophers I can read and walk away thinking I understand the issue. I may or may not agree, but that is okay. He got me thinking in a way I appreciated. There is little I can write that can do justice to what he means to my own pursuits, let alone American intellectual life, but it is a voice that will certainly be missed.

"In Memory of Richard Rorty" by Jürgen Habermas
New York Times essay "Thinking Cheerfully"
Articles in Dissent magazine
And in a time in need of hope, I am currently reading Philosophy and Social Hope

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