Review by Choice Review
Margolis (Temple Univ.) has organized this book around topics in three areas: epistemology, metaphysics, and values. Believing that the central issue in philosophy is to elaborate a general account of knowledge, Margolis commences, in the first three chapters, with an analysis of knowledge and belief, perception and sensation, and doubt and certainty. But knowledge is purportedly of reality and presupposes a public world to which access is gained through sense perception. Accordingly, Margolis examines the nature of reality by discussing topics such as existence and reality, identity and individuation, and action and events. In addition, since knowledge claims are expressible in language, Margolis further examines some key features of language, such as meaning, truth, and intelligibility. Finally, through an examination of the nature of mental phenomena, Margolis turns to the knowing subject. Moreover, in the belief that knowledge claims entail value judgments, he analyzes the nature of normative judgments, specifically challenging the so-called fact/value distinction. Margolis undoubtedly has accomplished his aim in this book (a revised edition of his 1973 work Knowledge & Existence). However, given the limited scope of the issues covered, this volume, though interesting, may not attract a wide readership. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers. C. S. Johnson Middle Tennessee State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
