Knowledge and Inquiry

Isaac Levi has explored the principles of American pragmatism in greater depth and more consistency than others before him. The result is a sophisticated and powerful philosophical system whose key elements stand in stark opposition not only to current mainstream epistemology, but also to the positions of other contemporary authors writing in the same pragmatist tradition. The essays in this timely volume, written by some of philosophy’s finest scholars, contribute substantially to the understanding and appraisal of Levi’s work. Included in this volume are Levi’s extensive and provocative replies to his critics, which offer unique access to his current thinking on a wide range of topics. The introduction provides a concise, systematic presentation of the cornerstone of Levi’s pragmatism. Suitable for students and scholars who are interested in American pragmatism in general and Isaac Levi’s work in particular, this book is an ideal companion to Levi’s own writings.

• The first book devoted entirely to Isaac Levi’s pragmatist philosophy • Among the contributors are some of philosophy’s finest scholars • Contains Levi’s extensive replies to his critics, giving unique access to his current views on a wide range of topics

Introduction Erik J. Olsson; 1. Isaac Levi and his pragmatist lineage Cheryl Misak; 2. Is pragmatist truth irrelevant to inquiry? Andre Fuhrmann; 3. The knowledge business Philip Kitcher; 4. Infallibility and incorrigibility Bengt Hansson; 5. Why inconsistency is not hell: making room for inconsistency in science Otavio Bueno; 6. Levi on risk Nils-Eric Sahlin; 7. Vexed convexity Henry E. Kyburg; 8. Levi’s chances D. H. Mellor; 9. Isaac Levi’s potentially surprising epistemological picture Wolfgang Spohn; 10. Isaac Levi on abduction Maurice Pagnucco; 11. Potential answers - to what question? Erik J. Olsson; 12. Levi and the lottery Erik J. Olsson; 13. The value of truth and the value of information: on Isaac Levi’s epistemology Hans Rott; 14. Decision-theoretic contraction and sequential change Horacio Arlo-Costa; 15. Deciding what you know Mark Kaplan; 16. Levi’s ideals Sven Ove Hansson; 17. The mind we do not change Wolfram Hinzen; 18. Psychoanalysis as technology Akeel Bilgrami; 19. Levi on money pumps and diachronic Dutch books Wlodek Rabinowicz; 20. Levi on the reality of dispositions Johannes Persson; 21. Replies Isaac Levi.