A Thing of This World

At a time when the analytic/continental split dominates contemporary philosophy, this ambitious work offers a careful and clear-minded way to bridge that divide.  Combining conceptual rigor and clarity of prose with historical erudition, A Thing of This World shows how one of the standard issues of analytic philosophy–realism and anti-realism–has also been at the heart of continental philosophy. 
 
Using a framework derived from prominent analytic thinkers, Lee Braver traces the roots of anti-realism to Kant’s idea that the mind actively organizes experience.  He then shows in depth and in detail how this idea evolves through the works of Hegel, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Foucault, and Derrida.  This narrative presents an illuminating account of the
history of continental philosophy by explaining how these thinkers build on each other’s attempts to develop new concepts of reality and truth in the wake of the rejection of realism.  Braver demonstrates that the analytic and continental traditions have been discussing the same issues, albeit with different vocabularies, interests, and approaches.
By developing a commensurate vocabulary, his book promotes a dialogue between the two branches of philosophy in which each can begin to learn from the other.

“It is the sort of book that everyone working in the continental tradition, and many in the analytic tradition, will want to read… Braver’s real strength is his sweeping synoptic vision of continentalism from Kant to Derrida, backed by triple the needed homework to make this vision tangible.  The book deserves great success, and Braver ought to become a household name in continental circles… It would be hard to ask for a more thoroughly researched work on the topic, or for one more honest or more technically precise… A landmark.”–Philosophy Today