C.D. Broad

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The Philosophy of C.D. Broad


(Volume X, 1959)

Closer to Moore in his appeal to common sense and nearer to Russell in his interest in the sciences, Broad has wrought his own views in ethics, theory of knowledge and metaphysics. An admirable stylist, he is read by the intelligent layman as well as by the philosopher. In contrast with most analytic philosophers today, Broad emphatically does not confine philosophy to the analysis of language. He divides philosophy into two kinds. "Critical Philosophy" includes "the analysis and definition of our fundamental beliefs." The second type of philosophy, "Speculative Philosophy," aims "to reach some general conclusions as to the nature of the Universe, and as to our position and prospects in it."

Laymen as well as philosophers find an added fascination in Broad's views of the relevance to philosophy of the results of psychical research. This latter, Broad insists, already possesses some "well-established results;" for instance, "paranormal cognition" has been abundantly verified experimentally." In the present volume two philosophers make contrasting evaluations of Broad's traffic with ostensibly paranormal phenomena. 

Table of Contents

C.D. Broad: Autobiography

C.D. Broad

(Replies follow essays)

Everett J. Nelson: Some Ontological Presuppositions in Broad's Philosophy 
Stephan Körner: Broad on Philosophical Method 
Robert Leet Patterson: A Critical Account of Broad's Estimate of McTaggart 
W.T. Stace: Broad's Views on Religion 
Robert G. Turnbull: Empirical and A Priori Elements in Broad's Theory of Knowledge 
Brand Blanshard: Broad's Conception of Reason 
L.J. Russell: Substance and Cause in Broad's Philosophy 
Norwood Russell Hanson: Broad and the Laws of Dynamics 
Georg Henrik von Wright: Broad on Induction and Probability 
W.C.K. Mundle: Broad's Views about Time 
C.J. Ducasse: Broad on the Relevance of Psychical Research to Philosophy 
A.G.N. Flew: Broad on Supernormal Precognition 
William C. Kneale: Broad on Mental Events and Epiphenomenalism 
H.H. Price: The Nature and Status of Sense-Data in Broad's Epistemology 
Konrad Marc-Wogau: On C.D. Broad's Theory of Sensa 
John W. Yolton: Broad's Views on the Nature and Existence of External Objects 
William K. Frankena: Broad's Analysis of Ethical Terms 
R.M. Hare: Broad's Approach to Moral Philosophy 
Ingemar Hedenius: Broad's Treatment of Determinism and Free Will 
Helmut Kuhn: Existence in C.D. Broad's Philosophy 
Robert W. Browning: Broad's Theory of Emotions
C.D. Broad: A Reply to My Critics
Bibliography of the Writings of C.D. Broad (To end of July 1959)