Rorty's Philosophy of Consciousness
A Companion to Rorty February 14, 2020 James Tartaglia 3 citations
Richard Rorty's endorsement of physicalism conflicted with his own philosophical aims, driven by a confused motivation that failed to separate physicalism from metaphysics and scientism. The essay examines the importance of metaphilosophy to Rorty's stance on consciousness, which is central to his project and derived from Ryle but uniquely metaphilosophical. It disputes Rorty's historical thesis about the concept of consciousness, discusses the social utility of first-person reflection on consciousness, and argues that Rorty's obsession with religion led him to embrace a scientistic agenda he should have opposed.