The End of Philosophy

Modern professional Philosophy has had 400 years to provide civilization with a valid, accessible theory of truth and to create a true worldview that is a constraining context for science, society, and the individual. Academic philosophy has failed to do this and has ended up an antiquarian exercise in verbal distinctions and intellectual one-up-manship. It has failed to adequately critique science, religion, hierarchical social systems, and a false, dysfunctional traditional worldview. It has lost its chance to be of any help in solving basic human issues. Professional Philosophy needs to end: end its pretence to relevant or even committed solutions to intellectual problems (worldview, epistemological, metaphysical, ethical), end its elitist and institutionalized status. It should be replaced by a more democratic process of deep thinking: the re-education of the general populace in core human issues--including critiques of our existing institutions in every dimension of life--in non-jargonish, accessible articulation. We, U.S. society and world civilization, should not leave important philosophical issues to an inaccessible professional elite, be it government experts, industry scientists, traditional economic systems, a professional religious priesthood, academic professors, or "professional" Philosophers. This book is a critique of traditional professional philosophy, of our traditional (and false) worldview, and of philosophical ideas that have remained unsolved for millennia. It will also point to possible future directions that can be taken after the end of Philosophy.