ABSTRACT

Cornel West's reputation as a public and celebrity intellectual has overshadowed his important contributions to philosophy. Professor Clarence Shole Johnson provides a rectification of this situation in this benchmark, thought-provoking book. After a brief biographical sketch, Johnson leads us through a comprehensive examination of West's philosophy from his conceptions of pragmatism, existentialism, Marxism, and Prophetic Christianity to his persuasive writings on black-Jewish relations, affirmative action, and the role of black intellectuals. Special focus is given to West's writings on ethics and social justice, and how these inform his entire theoretical framework. Cornel West and Philosophy is a unique and indispensable guide to West's diverse philosophical writings.

chapter |12 pages

Introduction

Cornel West's Philosophical Writings and Social Justice

chapter |24 pages

Pragmatism and Existentialism

chapter |24 pages

Humanistic Scholarship and Praxis

chapter |28 pages

Black-Jewish Conflict and Dialogue

chapter |26 pages

Affirmative Action and Proto-Marxism

chapter |28 pages

Modernity, Philosophy, and Race(ism)

chapter |8 pages

Postscript

West, Public Intellectualism, and the Harvard Controversy