Discover how real individuals are defined by purpose, not by fixed parts of a world.
The book argues that individuality is a teleological idea, meaning it implies will and purpose. Real beings express a satisfied will, and true uniqueness comes from a purpose that no other could fulfill. This edition presents Royce’s view that the world is meaningful only as it embodies purpose through real, unique beings.
- Learn how concepts like reality, facts, and meaning are connected to the idea of purpose.
- See why a “fact” in philosophy is tied to our experience and our questions about it.
- Explore how time, perception, and the sense of present influence our understanding of existence.
- Understand Royce’s approach to immortality as a topic that starts from the nature of individual beings and their purposes.
Ideal for readers of philosophy and theology who want a clear, thoughtful look at how purpose gives reality its shape.
John J. McDermott, author of the introduction to this new edition, is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Head of Humanities in Medicine at Texas A&M University. He is the editor of five volumes of scholarly editions of the writings of William James, John Dewey, and Josiah Royce, as well as several textbooks and collections of philosophical essays.