Self-Deception
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Book Overview
With a new chapter
This new edition of Herbert Fingarette's classic study in philosophical psychology now includes a provocative recent essay on the topic by the author. A seminal work, the book has deeply influenced the fields of philosophy, ethics, psychology, and cognitive science, and it remains an important focal point for the large body of literature on self-deception that has appeared since its publication.
How can one deceive oneself if the very idea of deception implies that the deceiver knows the truth? The resolution of this paradox leads Fingarette to fundamental insights into the mind at work. He questions our basic ideas of self and the unconscious, personal responsibility and our ethical categories of guilt and innocence. Fingarette applies these ideas to the philosophies of Sartre and Kierkegaard, as well as to Freud's psychoanalytic theories and to contemporary research into neurosurgery. Included in this new edition, Fingarette's most recent essay, "Self-Deception Needs No Explaining (1998)," challenges the ideas in the extant literature.
This new edition of Herbert Fingarette's classic study in philosophical psychology now includes a provocative recent essay on the topic by the author. A seminal work, the book has deeply influenced the fields of philosophy, ethics, psychology, and cognitive science, and it remains an important focal point for the large body of literature on self-deception that has appeared since its publication.
How can one deceive oneself if the very idea of deception implies that the deceiver knows the truth? The resolution of this paradox leads Fingarette to fundamental insights into the mind at work. He questions our basic ideas of self and the unconscious, personal responsibility and our ethical categories of guilt and innocence. Fingarette applies these ideas to the philosophies of Sartre and Kierkegaard, as well as to Freud's psychoanalytic theories and to contemporary research into neurosurgery. Included in this new edition, Fingarette's most recent essay, "Self-Deception Needs No Explaining (1998)," challenges the ideas in the extant literature.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0520220528
ISBN13:9780520220522
Release Date:January 2000
Publisher:University of California Press
Length:189 Pages
Weight:0.58 lbs.
Dimensions:0.5" x 5.5" x 8.3"
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
what philosophy SHOULD be about
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 15 years ago
the author is a brilliant professor of philosophy. this book examines personal responsibility in a succinct manner. i recommend this book for serious students of philosophy, psychology, law, sociology. it is also a wonderful guide for personal self-examination. Dr.Fingarette is one of the most brilliant authors i have ever encountered.
A keystone in the slippery debate
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
If you are willing to take a deep dive into the slippery topic of self-deception, then this book is the book for you. The author takes a decidedly philosophical and academic knife to the topic. Usually, I don't like this kind of approach because it's not a "page-turner." In fact, it's a difficult book to read. Thank goodness it's short. However, given the deep challenges associated with understanding the dynamics of self deception, the author's argument makes more sense because he does a great job outlining the failures of the extant literature before he attempts to reframe the problem, which he does brilliantly. The idea that self deception is not a problem of belief systems but rather an issue of identity; that is, fractures, dissociations, and "disavowals" related to one's identity concept makes perfect sense. After reading this book, I see the world in an entirely new way. Highly recommended.
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