Real Philosophy for Real People: Tools for Truthful Living

By Robert McTeigue

Book Overview

A great philosopher once observed, "Philosophers let theories get in the way of what they and everybody else know." A lot of ink has been spilt in order to obscure what we really can't not know about reality, humanity and morality.

In the midst of a culture permeated by philosophies that seek to redefine the universally available meaning of what it is to be human, Fr. Robert McTeigue says it is more important than ever to be equipped with reliable philosophical tools that help us to see clearly the implications of our stated moral claims; that enable us to detect moral and logical error; and that keep us grounded in the love of truth.

You will find such tools in these pages that explore what it means to be human with metaphysical, anthropological, and ethical dimensions.

But this book does more than offer tools for seeing and understanding. It is a refutation of philosophies which prize love of theory over love of truth; a rebuke of any metaphysics that cannot account for itself; a refutation of anthropologies which are unworthy of the human person; and a refutation of ethical systems which reduce the great dignity and destiny of the human person.

Most importantly, this book is a prescription for an alternative: it is a real philosophy for real people, wherein the best of classical philosophy finds its fulfillment, expressed in a contemporary idiom that is accessible to the layman and plausible to the scholar. It offers a catalog of errors with their refutations, and a map for living a truly human life. It is a portable error-detector, while providing a basis for knowing and presenting the truth.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1621643484
• ISBN13: 9781621643487
• Release Date: August 2020
• Publisher: Ignatius Press
• Length: 283 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

How To Think Critically

Fr. McTeigue instructs people on how they should think critically. The book teaches people ways to question what they hear and read, instead of either agreeing or disagreeing on the basis of partisanship. We would have a more functional, rational society if more people read this book and followed its recommendations. I don't think it's a bold assertion to say that we have several generations at this point who have never been instructed on how to engage in critical thinking. Instead, the opposite is true. They're told to exclaim "their truth" and follow whatever passion they feel, wherever that happens to lead. It's a flawed basis for individual life and for our society. We can do better. Read this book to fix yourself first.