Abstract

What is a passionate moderate? What are the extremes to be avoided? The positions Susan Haack carves out for herself in these essays are defined by what they stand in opposition to. On the one side we find a set of more or less traditional views on pragmatism, truth, science, knowledge, and the roles in society, academia, and philosophy of women, minorities, and ethnic groups. These are accompanied by their well worn defenses. At the other extreme are a variety of voguish views: neopragmatism as in Rorty, extreme varieties of feminism, and multiculturalism. These are defended mainly in terms of social constructivist views which dismiss scientific objectivity and related conceptions of truth, science, and knowledge. Taking care to state the opposing views and in many cases examining the rationales provided for them, Haack goes on to offer trenchant criticisms and to state her intermediate positions. Without ever saying so she exemplifies an Aristotelian conception of virtue in her habit of choosing a mean between two extremes.