Philosophy's problem with its history

Christoph Schuringa's 'A Social History of Analytic Philosophy' challenges the traditional view of analytic philosophy as detached from social and political contexts. The book explores how historical and political forces have shaped analytic philosophy, revealing it as a tradition with interesting features. Schuringa argues that analytic philosophy, despite its claims of apolitical nature, perpetuates a bourgeois liberal ideology. The book delves into the development of philosophy in the USA after World War II, examining the impact of political conditions on analytic philosophers. It also touches on the divide between analytic and continental philosophy, suggesting that 'continental philosophy' is an analytic philosopher's construct.

This book by Bertrand Russell is a critical survey of Western philosophy, tracing its development from the pre-Socratic philosophers to the early 20th century. Russell places philosophical ideas within their historical, social, and political contexts, highlighting the interactions between philosophical thought and the circumstances of the time. The book covers three main periods: Ancient Philosophy, Catholic Philosophy, and Modern Philosophy. Russell is known for his opinionated approach, often critiquing the philosophers and their ideas from the perspective of his own philosophical stance, particularly Logical Positivism. The work is notable for its broad scope and Russell's clear presentation of his own views on various philosophical problems and their attempted solutions[2][3][5].

In 'A Theory of Justice,' John Rawls develops a moral theory of justice as fairness, which is an alternative to utilitarianism. The theory is based on the social contract approach and uses the concept of the original position and the veil of ignorance to derive two principles of justice. The first principle, the greatest equal liberty principle, ensures that each person has an equal right to the most extensive total system of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar system of liberty for all. The second principle, which includes the difference principle and the equal opportunity principle, states that social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged and attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity. Rawls's theory aims to reconcile liberty and equality in a well-ordered society.