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  • © 1995

Satisfying Reason

Studies in the Theory of Knowledge

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Part of the book series: Episteme (EPIS, volume 21)

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xii
  2. Satisfying Reason

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 1-23
  3. Why be Rational?

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 24-31
  4. Reason and Reality

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 32-53
  5. Metaknowledge and Its Complications

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 54-71
  6. Fallibilism and the Pursuit of Truth

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 72-86
  7. Methodological Optimism

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 87-102
  8. Meaningless Numbers

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 103-121
  9. Conceptual Idealism Revisited

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 122-154
  10. The Limits of Cognitive Relativism

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 176-211
  11. The Deficits of Deconstructionism

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 212-225
  12. Exits from Paradox

    • Nicolas Rescher
    Pages 226-239
  13. Back Matter

    Pages 241-245

About this book

Leibniz said with a mixture of admiration and inspiration that the Duchess Sophie of Hannover always wanted to know the reason why behind the reason why. And that is just how rationality works: it wants to leave no loose ends to understanding, seeking to enable us to understand things through to the bitter end.
In the twelve chapters that make up Satisfying Reason, Rescher develops and defends the following perspective:
  • That rationality is a cardinal virtue in cognitive matters.
  • That this is not something simple and cut-and-dried: in the pursuit of truth through the development of knowledge we face obstacles -- sometimes even insuperable ones.
  • All that we can do is the best we can, realizing that even our very best may still be imperfect.
  • Nevertheless, the venture is far from hopeless. While absolutes are unattainable in the cognitive venture, some solutions are situationally optimal, being comparatively the best that can be managed under the circumstances.
  • That reason itself enables us to come to terms with this state of affairs, urging us to accept the best we can do as good enough.
Satisfying Reason is an explanation of the presuppositions and methods of rational enquiry, an original exercise in metaknowledge, developing a systematic body of knowledge about the scope and limits of knowledge itself.

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Pittsburgh, USA

    Nicolas Rescher

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Satisfying Reason

  • Book Subtitle: Studies in the Theory of Knowledge

  • Authors: Nicolas Rescher

  • Series Title: Episteme

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0483-8

  • Publisher: Springer Dordrecht

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1995

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-7923-3148-3Published: 31 March 1995

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-94-010-4216-1Published: 04 October 2012

  • eBook ISBN: 978-94-011-0483-8Published: 06 December 2012

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XII, 246

  • Topics: Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Language, Epistemology

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access