Two excellent articles by Danny Postel, one the last interview with Rorty before his death in 2007, and one shortly after on his brand of atheism.
Links from Steve Peterson commenting on a great thread on Dewey and Hildebrand on MoQ-Discuss, posted by Dave Buchannan and debated again with Matt Kundert.
{Post Note :
Hildebrand’s “The Neopragmatist Turn” on Hildebrand’s web site.
The original post thread has links to Hildebrand’s books on Amazon as of course does his own web site above. Some specific quotes from Hildebrand on Dewey, from the JohnDewey.org web-site that he edits.
Dewey’s entreaties”that philosophy start from lived experience (practically), motivated by moral ends (meliorism)”are prescriptive but necessarily vague. They pose a challenge to professionalized philosophers, who tend to respond by demanding specifics
… [but, rather than to look for absolute value or reality per se, should instead] …
… have the courage and emotional intelligence to trade certain answers for questions which aim to make life better.
Can’t argue with that – “trading answers for questions”.
So,
so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
from a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade
your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
a walk on part in the war
for a lead role in a cage?
How I wish
how I wish you were here.
We’re just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found ?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.
(Waters / Gilmour)
Well, did they get you to trade ?
Ever wish you were here ?
Did Wittgenstein, Dewey, Pirsig or Rorty show you the way out of that fly-bottle, or are you a lost soul still running over that same old ground ?}