Perspectives on self-deception /

This comprehensive anthology consists of 24 essays--all but one by philosophers--that explore self-deception. The concept is analyzed, the epistemic and psychological dimensions are developed, the moral and social aspects are explored, and the literary tradition of this crucial notion is reviewed. The wide-ranging selections are previously unpublished, and are typically nontechnical and problem-oriented. Although the book lacks a survey of notable historical views of self-deception, some selections do discuss the relevant views of Sartre and Freud. The book contains a useful bibliography of recent philosophical and psychological inquiry on the concept; however, its suitability as a research tool would have been enhanced by an index. A comparable recent anthology is Self-Deception and Self-Understanding, ed. by Mike Martin (1985). Recommended for libraries supporting an undergraduate major in philosophy or psychology. P.K. Moser Loyola University of Chicago