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Geography of Insight : The Sciences, the Humanities, How They Differ, Why They Matter by Richard Foley (2018, Hardcover)

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About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherOxford University Press, Incorporated

ISBN-100190865121

ISBN-139780190865122

eBay Product ID (ePID)242603351

Product Key Features

Number of Pages152 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication NameGeography of Insight : the Sciences, the Humanities, How They Differ, Why They Matter

Publication Year2018

SubjectPhilosophy & Social Aspects, Decision-Making & Problem Solving, General, Cognitive Psychology & Cognition

TypeTextbook

AuthorRichard Foley

Subject AreaPhilosophy, Science, Education, Psychology

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height0.6 in

Item Weight10.6 Oz

Item Length6 in

Item Width9.1 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2017-041851

TitleLeadingThe

Dewey Edition23

Reviews"[Foley's] extremely approachable arguments will interest anyone concerned with the future of the arts and sciences. Summing up: Highly Recommended" -- CHOICE"The importance of Foley's book cannot be overstated. Reading it can re-kindle the passion within all of us who are engaged in the physical, mathematical and life sciences, the humanities, or the social sciences. Richard Foley not only makes important and insightful distinctions between various kinds of knowledge, but eloquently argues for their lasting value and importance. For too long, we have been on the defense; sometimes too cautious to say what we really do and why it is important, and sometimes bending with the remover to remove. This is the C.P. Snow book for our times."--Peter D. Klein, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Rutgers University "Foley's book is a thoughtful meditation on academic knowledge by someone with a rare, sustained exposure to work across the disciplines. It is the most sensible, even-handed, and illuminating discussion that I have read of the relationship between the sciences and the humanities. It should become a standard reference on this topic."--Jenann Ismael, Department of Philosophy, University of Arizona, "The importance of Foley's book cannot be overstated. Reading it can re-kindle the passion within all of us who are engaged in the physical, mathematical and life sciences, the humanities, or the social sciences. Richard Foley not only makes important and insightful distinctions between various kinds of knowledge, but eloquently argues for their lasting value and importance. For too long, we have been on the defense; sometimes too cautious to say what we really do and why it is important, and sometimes bending with the remover to remove. This is the C.P. Snow book for our times."--Peter D. Klein, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Rutgers University "Foley's book is a thoughtful meditation on academic knowledge by someone with a rare, sustained exposure to work across the disciplines. It is the most sensible, even-handed, and illuminating discussion that I have read of the relationship between the sciences and the humanities. It should become a standard reference on this topic."--Jenann Ismael, Department of Philosophy, University of Arizona, "[Foley's] extremely approachable arguments will interest anyone concerned with the future of the arts and sciences. Summing up: Highly Recommended" -- CHOICE "The importance of Foley's book cannot be overstated. Reading it can re-kindle the passion within all of us who are engaged in the physical, mathematical and life sciences, the humanities, or the social sciences. Richard Foley not only makes important and insightful distinctions between various kinds of knowledge, but eloquently argues for their lasting value and importance. For too long, we have been on the defense; sometimes too cautious to say what we really do and why it is important, and sometimes bending with the remover to remove. This is the C.P. Snow book for our times."--Peter D. Klein, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Rutgers University "Foley's book is a thoughtful meditation on academic knowledge by someone with a rare, sustained exposure to work across the disciplines. It is the most sensible, even-handed, and illuminating discussion that I have read of the relationship between the sciences and the humanities. It should become a standard reference on this topic."--Jenann Ismael, Department of Philosophy, University of Arizona, "[Foley's] extremely approachable arguments will interest anyone concerned with the future of the arts and sciences. Summing up: Highly Recommended" -- CHOICE"The importance of Foley's book cannot be overstated. Reading it can re-kindle the passion within all of us who are engaged in the physical, mathematical and life sciences, the humanities, or the social sciences. Richard Foley not only makes important and insightful distinctions between various kinds of knowledge, but eloquently argues for their lasting value and importance. For too long, we have been on the defense; sometimes too cautious to say what we reallydo and why it is important, and sometimes bending with the remover to remove. This is the C.P. Snow book for our times."--Peter D. Klein, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Rutgers University"Foley's book is a thoughtful meditation on academic knowledge by someone with a rare, sustained exposure to work across the disciplines. It is the most sensible, even-handed, and illuminating discussion that I have read of the relationship between the sciences and the humanities. It should become a standard reference on this topic."--Jenann Ismael, Department of Philosophy, University of Arizona

Dewey Decimal001.3

Table Of ContentPreface Part 1: The Humanities and Sciences are Different Part 2: The DistinctionsIndexical vs. Non-IndexicalPerspectival vs. Non-PerspectivalPrescriptive vs. DescriptiveIndividual vs. Collective Part 3: Secondary DifferencesAn Endpoint to InquiryIntellectual ProgressIntellectual AuthoritySimplicity and ComplexityInvolvement with MentalityPart 4: Related TopicsPhilosophy, the Humanities, the Sciences Conclusion

SynopsisThe humanities and the sciences face challenging times, each in their own way. The humanities suffer shrinking enrollments and budgets, and are perceived by some as irrelevant in a changing economy. The sciences face a political climate that disrespects academic expertise and challenges settled debates. Meanwhile age-old disputes about their spheres of knowledge continue: does scientific knowledge subsume that of the humanities? Are their forms of knowledge complementary, or ultimately at odds? Richard Foley, a philosopher of knowledge and the former Dean of Arts and Sciences at New York University, here provides a concise and accessible overview of what the overarching goals of these disciplines are, relative to one another, and what kind of knowledge they aim to produce. His fundamental argument is that the sciences aim at insights that ideally are not limited to particular locations or times and are also perspective-free and wholly descriptive, whereas the humanities appropriately seek insights about specific locations and times, with the insights being perspective-based and having evaluative as well as descriptive elements. He also finds these two spheres of knowledge to be complementary in the search for understanding of our world and the human condition. The ultimate goal of Foley's investigation however is an eloquent defense and celebration of the culture of academic research. In an era of sound-bites and tweet-length falsehoods, this culture values and supports long-term intellectual achievements for the good of humanity - produced with hard work, dedication, and patience. The Geography of Insight is essential reading for readers both inside and outside of the academy., The Geography of Insight argues that the issues of the humanities and sciences are different in kind and that inquiries into these issues also have different characteristics as do the resulting insights. These differences constitute an intellectual geography of the humanities and sciences: a mapping of key features of the two domains., The humanities and the sciences face challenging times, each in their own way. The humanities suffer shrinking enrollments and budgets, and are perceived by some as irrelevant in a changing economy. The sciences face a political climate that disrespects academic expertise and challenges settled debates. Meanwhile age-old disputes about their spheres of knowledge continue: does scientific knowledge subsume that of the humanities? Are their forms of knowledge complementary, or ultimately at odds?Richard Foley, a philosopher of knowledge and the former Dean of Arts and Sciences at New York University, here provides a concise and accessible overview of what the overarching goals of these disciplines are, relative to one another, and what kind of knowledge they aim to produce. His fundamental argument is that the sciences aim at insights that ideally are not limited to particular locations or times and are also perspective-free and wholly descriptive, whereas the humanities appropriately seek insights about specific locations and times, with the insights being perspective-based and having evaluative as well as descriptive elements. He also finds these two spheres of knowledge to be complementary in the search for understanding of our world and the human condition. The ultimate goal of Foley's investigation however is an eloquent defense and celebration of the culture of academic research. In an era of sound-bites and tweet-length falsehoods, this culture values and supports long-term intellectual achievements for the good of humanity--produced with hard work, dedication, and patience. The Geography of Insight is essential reading for readers both inside and outside of the academy., The Geography of Insight argues that it's appropriate for the sciences and humanities to have different aims and for the values informing their inquiries also to be different. Richard Foley identifies four core differences: (1) it's proper for the sciences but not the humanities to seek insights that aren't limited to particular locations, times, or things; (2) the sciences but not the humanities value findings as independent as possible of the perspectives of the inquirers; (3) the sciences should be wholly descriptive while the humanities can also be concerned with prescriptive claims, which give expression to values; and (4) the sciences are organized to increase collective knowledge whereas in the humanities individual insight is highly valued for its own sake, independently of its ability to generate consensus. Associated with these differences is a set of secondary distinctions: different attitudes about an endpoint of inquiry; different notions of intellectual progress; different roles for expertise; different assumptions about simplicity and complexity; and different approaches to issues associated with consciousness. Taken together these distinctions constitute an intellectual geography of the humanities and sciences: a mapping of key features of their epistemologies. In addition, the book discusses the special role of universities in an era attached to sound bites and immediately useful results, and the importance of universities promoting a healthy culture of research for both the sciences and humanities, one that treasures long-term intellectual achievements and whose presiding value is that with respect to many issues it ought not to be easy to have opinions.

LC Classification NumberBF449.5.F65 2018