The Principle of Sufficient Reason: A Reassessment (Cambridge Studies in Philosophy)

Pruss, Alexander R.

ISBN 10: 0521184398 / ISBN 13: 9780521184397

Published by Cambridge University Press, 2010

About this Item

In this 2006 volume, Alexander Pruss examines the substantive philosophical issues raised by the Principle of Sufficient Reason. Series: Cambridge Studies in Philosophy. Num Pages: 350 pages, black & white illustrations. BIC Classification: HP; HPJ; HPQ; PBB. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational. Dimension: 153 x 230 x 24. Weight in Grams: 516. . 2011. paperback. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland.

Seller Inventory # V9780521184397

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Principle of Sufficient Reason: A Reassessment (Cambridge Studies in Philosophy)
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521184398
• ISBN 13: 9780521184397
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

The Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR) says that all contingent facts must have explanation. In this 2006 volume, which was the first on the topic in the English language in nearly half a century, Alexander Pruss examines the substantive philosophical issues raised by the Principle Reason. Discussing various forms of the PSR and selected historical episodes, from Parmenides, Leibnez, and Hume, Pruss defends the claim that every true contingent proposition must have an explanation against major objections, including Hume's imaginability argument and Peter van Inwagen's argument that the PSR entails modal fatalism. Pruss also provides a number of positive arguments for the PSR, based on considerations as different as the metaphysics of existence, counterfactuals and modality, negative explanations, and the everyday applicability of the PSR. Moreover, Pruss shows how the PSR would advance the discussion in a number of disparate fields, including meta-ethics and the philosophy of mathematics.

Book Description

The Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR) says that all contingent facts must have explanation. In this 2006 volume, which was the first on the topic in the English language in nearly half a century, Alexander Pruss examines the substantive philosophical issues raised by the Principle of Sufficient Reason.