Philippine E-Journals

Richard Rorty (1931-2007): A Brief Introduction

Gerry M. Lanuza

Discipline: Philosophy

 

Abstract:

Richard Rorty, a world-renowned American pragmatist, died on 8 June 2007. He left an enduring impact on Western philosophy. Like his predecessors Nietzsche, Dewey, Wittgenstein, and Derrida, Rorty attempted the gargantuan task of redescribing the nature of philosophy in the late twentieth century. This article is a modest personal tribute to a great philosopher who shaped the author’s views about self-creation, metaphysics, and politics. The major themes in Rorty’s philosophy are discussed briefly. It is the author’s hope that this article will serve as a short introduction to Rorty’s neopragmatism. The author likewise hopes that it will stimulate the readers to pursue the philosophical issues that Rorty raised.