The Poverty of Anti-realism: Critical Perspectives on Postmodernist Philosophy of History

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Tor Egil Førland Branko Mitrovic´, Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet

The Poverty of Anti-realism

Critical Perspectives on Postmodernist Philosophy of History

Tor Egil Førland, Branko Mitrovic´, Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet, Adam Timmins , Ian Verstegan

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English

Lexington Books/Fortress Academic
15 September 2023

Historiography; Philosophy; History of ideas

Due to the influence of postmodernism, historical anti-realism has come to exercise a massive influence in contemporary philosophy of history. Edited by Tor Egil Førland and Branko Mitrović, The Povery of Anti-realism: Critical Perspectives on Postmodernist Philosophy of History presents perspectives that oppose anti-realist understanding of historians' work. The first part of the book gives an overview of contemporary anti-realist philosophy of history and shows that its claims are either so wide-ranging that they apply to all scientific knowledge, or pertain only to a select part of historians’ work. In the second part, the authors criticize major anti-realist tenets. These include: the assertion that the colligatory concepts historians use are without reference in the past; the idea that historical facts are theory-dependent and therefore unable to upend prevailing theories; Paul Roth’s application of Nelson Goodman’s “irrealist” theory of worldmaking to suggest a plurality of pasts; and the belief that multiple describability prevents historians from providing true and testable accounts of the past. The third and final part shows that the political implications of anti-realism are often other than left-leaning anti-realists think. Their reactions when confronted with the consequences of their theories indicate the inconsistency and untenability of postmodernist philosophy of history.

Contributions by: Adam Timmins, Ian Verstegan, Veli Virmajoki
Edited by: Tor Egil Førland, Branko Mitrovic´, Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet
Imprint: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 239mm, Width: 159mm, Spine: 24mm
Weight: 522g
ISBN: 9781666933628
ISBN 10: 1666933627
Pages: 246
Publication Date: 15 September 2023
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Tor Egil Førland is professor of history and head of the Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas at the University of Oslo. Branko Mitrović is professor of architectural history and theory at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

Reviews for The Poverty of Anti-realism: Critical Perspectives on Postmodernist Philosophy of History

First past the post: this anthology is the first collection of essays in the philosophy of historiography past post-modernism, post-post-modernist if you wish. It challenges the dogma that knowledge of the past is entirely dependent on the perspectives of those who represent history and that hence historiography is a construction of historians rather than evidence based probable representation of the past, from Nietzsche to Foucault to Trump, and from politically reductionist extreme left to extreme right. As post-post replaces post-, philosophies of historiography and historiographic relativism recedes along with political totalitarianism and emotivist populism, this collection offers an alternative future through a philosophical reinterpretation of the historical sciences.