Is Philosophy Justified?: An Appraisal of the Discipline, its Professors and Students, and its Place

Is Philosophy Justified? is a provocative examination of one of humanity's oldest intellectual pursuits.

As science, technology, and questions of economic utility increasingly dominate education and public life, and many departments of philosophy are being scrutinized for their very survival, Prof. Steven James Bartlett asks a question few philosophers have dared to confront directly: Is philosophy itself justified?

Neither a defence nor an attack, this book offers a balanced appraisal of philosophy as a discipline, a profession, and a way of life. Drawing on more than half a century of experience as both a philosopher and a clinical psychologist, Bartlett explores philosophy's enduring benefits its power to deepen understanding, challenge assumptions, inspire insight, and cultivate intellectual freedom. At the same time, he confronts the discipline's most troubling shortcomings: its lack of universally accepted results, its fragmented methodologies, its internal controversies, and its uncertain place in modern society. The book also ventures into rarely explored territory by examining the psychology of philosophers and philosophy students. Why are certain individuals drawn to philosophical inquiry? How do temperament, identity, and personal values shape philosophical commitments? And how do these factors influence the development of the discipline itself?

Combining intellectual history, philosophy, psychology, and cultural criticism, Is Philosophy Justified? is a unique evaluation of philosophy's achievements, limitations, and potential futures.