Saul Kripke

Description

Saul Kripke is one of the most important and original post-war analytic philosophers. His work has undeniably had a profound impact on the philosophy of language and the philosophy of mind. Yet his ideas are amongst the most challenging frequently encountered by students of philosophy. In this informative and accessible book, Arif Ahmed provides a clear and thorough account of Kripke's philosophy, his major works and ideas, providing an ideal guide to the important and complex thought of this key philosopher. The book offers a detailed review of his two major works, Naming and Necessity and Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language, and explores how Kripke's ideas often seem to overturn widely accepted views and even perceptions of common sense. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of Kripke's thought, the book provides a cogent and reliable survey of the nature and significance of Kripke's contribution to philosophy. This is the ideal companion to the study of this most influential and challenging of philosophers.

Arif Ahmed is Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, UK.

"This is a lovely book - crystal clear exposition, concise lucid criticism." - Laurence Goldstein, University of Kent, UK. "This book is an insightful and thorough analysis of Kripke's major contributions to philosophy...Arif Ahmed's book is a good example of analytical work which combines critical analysis of Kripe's arguments from Naming and Necessity with more discursive analysis of his skeptical argument, and a more interpretive treatment of the skeptical solution. As Ahmed admits, his aim was not to refute Kripke's views, only to present objections to them. Without a doubt, this aim has been fully accomplished." -Anton Petrenko, Philosophy in Review