Peirce: A Guide for the Perplexed

Charles Sanders Peirce, the founder of pragmatism, is a hugely important and influential thinker in the history of American philosophy. His philosophical interests were broad and he made significant contributions in several different areas of thought. Moreover, his contributions are intimately connected and his philosophy designed to form a coherent and systematic whole.Peirce: A Guide for the Perplexedis a clear and thorough account of Peirce's life and thought, his major works and ideas, providing an ideal guide to this important and complex thinker. The book introduces all the key concepts and themes in Peirce's thought, exploring his contributions to logic, pragmatism, truth, semiotics and metaphysics and demonstrating how his ideas developed into a coherent system of thought. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of Peirce's ideas, the book serves as a clear and concise introduction to his philosophy. This is the idea companion to study of this most influential and challenging of thinkers.

Cornelis de Waal is Associate Professor in philosophy at Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, USA, and Associate Editor with the Peirce Edition Project.

1: Life and Work Chapter 2: Logic Chapter 3: The Doctrine of the Categories Chapter 4: Semiotics Chapter 5: Philosophy of Science Chapter 6: Pragmatism but Not Practicalism Chapter 7: A Pragmatist Theory of Truth Chapter 8: The Perpetual Fight against Nominalism Chapter 9: The Impact of Darwin Chapter 10: Mathematics Chapter 11: Mind and Self Chapter 12 (Conclusion): The Architectonic Philosopher Bibliography Notes Index