Cambridge University Press has launched a new series called Classical Philosophical Arguments. Throughout the history of philosophy there have been certain books, or more often essays, sections, or even paragraphs that have been the focus of discussion for decades or centuries. This series collects essays focused around some of these classic arguments to give the reader some professional help in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the classic arguments.

One of the first volumes in the series focuses on an essay by Hilary Putnam from thirty-five years ago called “Brains in a Vat.” The brain-in-a-vat scenario is the possibility that an evil scientist has extracted your brain, put it into a vat of nutrients to keep it alive, and hooked up to it a super computer that causes you to believe that you actually exist as your senses currently suggest that you do. The scientist erases your memory of the procedure so it seems to you that you’ve always existed as a normal person in a normal world. This scenario has important ramifications for metaphysics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, and epistemology.

Another of the first volumes focuses on the argument of the “original position” by John Rawls. In his A Theory of Justice, Rawls posits what he calls the “original position” as a thought experiment that would help societies better assess social justice. If one places himself or herself in the original position, then that person is deprived of all information about their own person, including their ethnicity, social position, sex, etc. The argument is that laws should be formulated according to this original position. If that were done, laws would be created that would have the least harmful effects on the worst off in society. Rawls has been influential in political and ethical thought of the last fifty years.

Cambridge Press was kind enough to send me review copies of both of these volumes–the only other volume published so far is on “The Prisoner’s Dilemma”–and I’d like to review them according to their purpose and value.

First, the value of the volumes. Positively, these volumes will be valuable for students and professors who interact with these arguments for the first time, in papers, or in teaching. The brain-in-a-vat scenario is as old as Descartes (in his evil demon version) and has always played into considerations of things like epistemological certainty and metaphysics. Putnam’s modern essay puts forth a version of the argument that has impacted many fields for decades. Similarly, Rawl’s argument about the original position is one that anyone working in modern political theory or social ethics must engage. Having a collection of essays that help the reader think through these vital issues is a welcome addition to anyone’s library.

Negatively, these volumes do contribute to the overwhelming mass of secondary literature that continues to arise and distract readers from engaging in primary works. The number of companions and guides that continue to be published are certainly helpful, but students should beware that they need to root themselves first in the primary literature of their field before drowning in secondary literature. As one scholar recently joked, it’s about time for an Oxford Companion to Oxford Companions.

As for the execution of these two volumes, both are interdisciplinary and commendable. The authors are all accomplished researchers in their field and are the type of dialogue partner you should pay for (in the form of these books). Intellectual roots of the arguments are explored, as are critiques from various scholars and perspectives (e.g., ‘feminist receptions,’ ‘contemporary naturalism,’ etc.). As in every volume of this type, the reader may bring his or her own questions to the classical argument that will not be addressed. If you’re looking for engagement of the argument from a specific perspective (e.g., LGBTQ), you may not find it. Most edited volumes are of this manner and cannot be comprehensive; whereas single-author books can cover issues comprehensively, but will be more general and spend less time on each issue.

Overall, this new series provides useful tools for students and scholars who want to engage with some of the most influential arguments in philosophy. The volumes thus far have been executed well with dialogue partners worthy of your time.

Find The Brain in a Vat and The Original Position at Amazon.

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